Chimurenga
by Snoe
Summary: 15-year-old twins Miley and Luann have struggled their whole lives. Can there be love and peace? Can we come together to fight? LILEY
1. Something for Nothing

This story is going to be a bit different than my last one, but it promises to be quite long as well. This is most definitely a Liley story, though this first chapter is mostly set up. Please let me know what you think and whether I should continue with this...

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**Rating: T**

**Pairing: **Miley/Lilly, some Oliver/Luann

**Chapter 1 – Something for Nothing**

"Come on, it's getting dark," the brunette said, crossing her arms to ward off the approaching chill. She glanced over her shoulder at her sister trying to keep up and slowed her pace. The familiar chain link fences and red brick buildings were becoming visible up ahead and though they had almost reached their destination, it did not provide her much relief.

She noticed a few young guys on the side of the road exchanging money and steered her sister to the other side. She wasn't looking for trouble. A few people passed them and a guy on a bicycle shouted at her as he rode past, but she wasn't really worried. They were from here, after all; everyone else knew they had nothing to take and nothing to give.

They squeezed through the broken gate of the fence and the girl felt through her pockets for her key. Nothing, of course. She turned to her sister, "Miles, you have the key?"

The other brunette rolled her eyes at her sister, "Seriously, what would you do without me, Lu?"

Luann took the key from her sister's hand and shrugged. They entered the stairwell door and expertly maneuvered around the broken furniture and trash littering the entranceway. She ascended the stairs slowly, though still had to wait for her sister at the top. Luann said nothing, instead opening the door to the apartment.

She noticed the empty bottles strewn across the coffee table and kitchen counter immediately and hesitated. It didn't look too much different than it had that morning, but the eerie calm worried her some. Miley closed the door behind them softly and dropped her backpack to the ground. Luann was already in the kitchen, looking through the fridge. It was empty, except for some mustard and green bologna. She angrily turned to her sister who was leaning against the breakfast bar.

"I'll bet you anything mom spent her paycheck on booze and drugs again."

Miley shrugged. She didn't want Luann to get angry and maybe do something stupid again. They might have been identical twins, but their personalities were completely different. Whereas Miley was reserved, shy and generally believed the best of people, Luann was hot tempered, outspoken and pessimistic. But Miley knew her sister was there for her, always.

A thud from the hallway alerted them and the girls looked at each other, apprehensive. A tall, shirtless, muscular man with a large tattoo across his chest entered the living room. He didn't look too steady on his feet at first, but seemed to adjust after a few moments. His eyes were squinty and bloodshot. He walked up to the breakfast bar just across from Miley and grabbed a pack of cigarettes off the counter.

"Where the hell have you been?" he said, his voice rough. He tried to shake out a cigarette, but came up empty.

"At work; which you would remember if you didn't drink and smoke all your brain cells away," Luann said, annoyance shining through her voice.

"Don't get fresh with me, girl," the man said and pointed a shaky hand at her.

Miley could tell Luann was getting ready for an argument and spoke instead, "Where's mom?"

The man shrugged, looking through several more empty cigarette packs on the counter, "Asleep. Don't you brats go wakin' her up, she gotta work tonight."

The twins shared a look; they knew 'asleep' was usually code for 'passed out'. Luann looked through a stack of mail on the counter with increasing frustration. Mostly bills, all in various stages of being overdue.

"James, did mom get paid this morning?" Luann asked.

He'd given up on finding a cigarette and reached for a can of beer next to Miley. He shook it, sensing it was only half empty and took a swig. "None of your damn business; ain't your money, Miley."

"I'm **Luann**," the brunette ground out, "and it is my business if there's no damn food in the house."

James glared at the girl, "Don't you work at a food joint? Maybe if you ask real nice they'll give ya some free burgers."

"I don't want Miley eating that shit," Luann said, jaw clenched. James really got on her last nerve; she had no idea what her mom saw in him. He had no job, was always drunk and dumb as a doorknob.

"You are really somethin', you know that? Your mama's workin' hard to put a roof over your heads and here you go being ungrateful."

"This shithole barely qualifies as a roof. And hey, maybe if your lazy ass actually got a job and stopped drinking away all of mom's money, we'd have some damn food in the house!" Luann yelled, moving towards the breakfast bar.

James lunged at her, but his impaired coordination was making it harder. He shoved at Miley to get to her sister. His momentum and weight were enough to knock her over, head cracking against the linoleum floor. Luann saw red and jumped at him. She swung a right hook, but missed as he straightened up. He was stronger and a much better fighter than her, though still impaired. James swung in retaliation and his fist struck Luann on her jaw. She wished she could have stood her ground, but the force of the impact sent her sprawling, partly on top of her sister who was still on the ground.

Her head was ringing; jaw throbbing and she lay there momentarily, stunned. She felt Miley grab her hand and managed to push herself up. James stood above them, fury in his eyes. Luann knew she should never have antagonized him when he was drunk and high, but she just couldn't help her anger.

"I've told her a million times ta get rid of ya two; don't know why she keeps you around. Useless, especially that one," James yelled and threw his beer can at Miley. It hit her forearms that she'd raised to cover her head and beer spilled across her. "Maybe I just need to teach y'all a lesson."

He fumbled with his belt buckle. Luann didn't know exactly what he meant, but she knew whatever it was, it was not good. She glanced back at her sister and whispered as quietly as possible, "Miles, run. Go, I'll be right behind you."

Miley nodded curtly and pulled away, scrambling around the breakfast counter and away from James. Luann was only a split-second behind her. James was not fast enough to stop them, but his position near the doorway still kept them from getting out of the apartment. They ran down the hallway and into their bedroom. Luann locked the door, but she knew it was mostly useless – it was broken, anyway. She looked around the sparse room; there was nothing she could really use to block the door. She saw her sister sitting against the far wall, legs drawn up against her chest. Miley was gasping for breath and Luann felt her panic turn back into anger.

She went to her bed and reached underneath it. The aluminum baseball bat she pulled out from underneath gleamed beautifully in the sparse light falling in through the window. Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway. Luann looked back at her sister. "You're gonna be okay, Miles. Just hold on."

The doorknob jiggled. The door burst open with a heavy crash and James crossed the threshold. Luann swung the bat. The resounding crack chilled her to her bones, yet it brought sweet relief. James tumbled to the ground.

* * *

A heavy knock sounded on the door and loud footsteps thundered through the apartment. Their mother's hysterical voice could be heard all the way in their bedroom and Luann closed her eyes. She just wanted to take Miley and get out of there. Deeper voices now joined their mother's and they were coming closer.

"She killed him! Take her away…oh my god…she killed him!" Brenda was wailing, voice reaching an uncomfortably high pitch.

"Ma'am, I need you to calm down, okay? Can you show us where he is?" A deeper voice, much calmer, joined in. Footsteps came closer and Luann opened her eyes.

She sat next to Miley on the ground, holding her sister's hand. Miley was still struggling to breathe and Luann was worried she was going to pass out. The bedroom door stood wide open, light from the hallway falling into the room. James still lay sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Some blood was on his forehead, trickling down his temple and onto the carpet.

Two figures entered the hallway, each one with a hand on the gun strapped to their hip. She thought she heard more voices out in the living room and the thunderous assault of multiple feet on the rickety floor. The bedroom light was off and she didn't think they could see them, other than James lying in the light from the hallway. She shifted and suddenly there were guns pointed at her.

"Let me see your hands!" the deep voice from before shouted. They rushed closer and one flicked the light switch right outside the door.

"I'm not armed…it was self-defense," Luann said, though her voice was shaky. Nevertheless she raised her hands minimally, palms facing the two cops. Miley copied her actions, barely.

One of the cops stepped into the room, gun still trained on them. "Get on the ground, face first and spread out your arms!"

Luann bit back an angry retort and followed his instructions. She knew better than to argue with a man with a gun pointed at her. As soon as they were on the ground, he'd put his gun away and was on her, one knee in her back. He grabbed her wrists and handcuffed them behind her back, pulling her up into a kneeling position. She saw the second cop with his gun still on them. His hands were checking her body for hidden weapons and she saw him move on to Miley. She got angry again.

"He was coming after us! He hit my sister and he hit me and he came after us! It was self-defense! Look, he's still breathing," Luann yelled, pulling at her handcuffs. The cop next to her handcuffed Miley as well and the one by the doorway holstered his gun. He knelt down to check on James and yelled back into the hallway for the paramedics.

The cop was patting Miley down as well and Luann tried to get a glimpse of his nametag. M. Anderson. "Look, Officer Anderson, could you please not handcuff my sister? She didn't do anything. You need to arrest James, he was going to hurt us."

Officer Anderson looked at her, his face stoic, "Until we can figure out what really happened here, it is standard procedure to secure all people involved. You are not under arrest at this point, okay?"

Luann scoffed and turned when she noticed the paramedics kneel down next to James. That asshole didn't deserve medical care. She glanced briefly at Miley then back to the paramedics, "Hey, how about you stop helping that drunk bastard?!"

No one moved. Suddenly their mother rushed into the room and Luann threw an angry glare at Officer Anderson when she noticed her mother was not handcuffed. Brenda tried to get to the girls, but one of the cops stopped her, forcing her to sit on the bed. Her face was streaked with tears and mascara, a horribly grotesque mask only worsened by her bloodshot eyes. She saw James on the ground and started wailing.

"James…oh no…she killed him…aren't you gonna arrest her?" Her words were slightly slurred and she looked unsteady.

"Ma'am, I told you before, I need you to calm down. Can you tell me what happened?"

Brenda took a shaky breath and nodded, "I woke up because I heard shouting and I saw her standing over James with a baseball bat in her hands."

Officer Anderson turned to look at Luann, "Did you hit him with the bat?"

Luann groaned, "I already told you I did! He was coming after us! She was too drunk or high to pay attention when he was punching and throwing shit at us!"

Before Anderson could speak, a female officer entered the doorway. "Hey Anderson, we found a bunch of weed and some crack in the living room."

"That's definitely not ours," Luann interjected before anyone had a chance to accuse her, "and she's on probation." She nodded towards her mom.

Brenda jumped up as if to lunge at her, "You little bitch!" The other cop stopped her.

Luann felt Miley leaning against her slightly and looked over. Her sister was bent over as if in pain, hands still cuffed behind her back. The paramedics were too busy loading James onto a backboard to pay attention. She wanted to lash out.

"Is anyone going to fucking help my sister or are you going to let her die?" she said loudly and suddenly all eyes were focused on the two of them, kneeling on the ground.

One of the paramedics rushed over and pushed Miley gently to sit down, "Hey hun, can you hear me? What's your name?"

"She's not deaf, dumbass, she can't breathe!" Luann said and earned an aggravated glare.

"You're having trouble breathing? Does your chest hurt?" he asked and Miley nodded.

He looked at Luann, "Does she have Asthma?"

Luann shook her head weakly, watching her sister, "No…it's her heart…could you just help her please?"

He got up and grabbed one of his bags, setting it down next to Miley. "I'm gonna put a mask on your face to give you some oxygen, okay?" She nodded and he slipped the mask onto her face. He motioned at the cop, "I need you to take the cuffs off her so I can take her vitals."

The cop complied and Miley sagged back against the wall, eyes closed. Luann stared at her and noticed she was starting to look better already. She watched the two male cops standing next to her mom and one was talking on his radio. The first paramedic was done working on James and came over to them.

"We gotta take him to the hospital. Does she need to go?" the paramedic asked his partner.

"She's not going anywhere with **him** and without **me**," Luann said angrily.

"Why are you arresting **me?!**" Brenda screamed and Luann turned her head towards her mother with the two officers.

"Ma'am, you are in violation of your probation. Not to mention the obvious neglect your daughters are suffering from," the female officer said, her voice harsh.

"What the hell are you talking about? They're fine; whiny little brats, don't let them fool ya," Brenda said.

The officer narrowed her eyes and grabbed Brenda's arms behind her back, "Your one daughter has bruises on her face, your other daughter is clearly ill and you have yet to show a bit of concern; you were too drunk to notice your boyfriend was hurting your children, there is nothing in this apartment other than booze and drugs, this place is trashed and crawling with cockroaches, would you like me to go on?" Brenda remained silent and the officer cuffed her hands, "Good. You are under arrest for violating the conditions of your probation and child neglect. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an…"

Luann turned her head. It was depressing to think of how many times she had seen her mother get arrested. They led her away and the female cop made her way over to the twins. She squatted next to Luann and took her handcuffs off. Luann rubbed her wrists and sat back on the ground next to her sister. The officer smiled and Luann tried not to make a smart comment; at least this one was trying to be nice.

"Hey, I'm sorry you had to see that, okay? How is your sister doing?" the officer asked, her voice soft and sweet, as if she were talking to a small child.

Luann glanced at Miley, who was looking at her while the paramedic took her vitals. She turned back to the officer, "She'll be fine. Can you please tell them that she's not riding in the ambulance with James?"

The officer looked at the paramedic, "Does she need to go to the hospital?"

"She should get checked out, yeah."

"Is it alright if we wait for the second rig to come? I really don't want her to have to go with him, either," the cop asked and he nodded reluctantly, packing up his equipment. She turned back to the girls, smiling at them and Luann suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. What was there to smile about? "There's another ambulance on the way. I'll ride with you two to the hospital, okay? But first I just want you to know what's going to happen. Your mom is going to jail tonight; do you understand what that means?"

The sisters met each other's eyes and Luann sighed heavily, "CPS."

The officer's smile faltered slightly, obviously having expected to need to explain it to them. The way the girl had said it, too, made her think this was not the first time this had happened. She nodded sadly, "Yeah, child protection services will meet us at the hospital. I need you to pack a bag, for you and your sister, with some things you might need, okay?"

Luann nodded and got up, walking over to their closet as if on autopilot. She was cursing James and her mom and the damn cops for actually showing up and caring for once. They'd been doing alright, getting by, and now their whole world would be turned upside down again. Luann hated foster care and she dreaded going back. And she knew Miley felt the same way. In a daze, she packed their bags.

_to be continued..._


	2. The Truth There Is

Thanks to everyone who reviewed; I'm glad there seems to be some interest in this story. And there's finally some Liley interaction in this scene...I didn't wanna make you all wait too long ;)

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**Chapter 2 – The Truth There Is**

"Dang flabbit, Loreen, I know what you're trying to do here and it ain't gonna work," Robbie Ray Stewart said, shaking his head.

He sat at the kitchen table, across from a middle-aged woman in business slacks and a button down shirt who was looking at him with a sad smile on her face. Leaning against the sink was Robbie's wife, Susan, watching the interaction between the two expressionless.

"Ya can't blame me for tryin', Robbie. It's just a sad affair and I was hopin' for some good luck," Loreen said somberly and stacked the papers in front of her.

Robbie glanced at his wife with a sigh and looked back at Loreen, "We wish we could, Loreen. But we already got five kids in the house and just don't got the time and mind to handle two more; it'll be tough enough with just the one. And you know we're not qualified to handle special needs cases…it's just better this way."

Loreen nodded and suppressed a sigh. Sometimes she really hated her job. She had wanted to become a social worker to help people in need, not to split up already traumatized children. She stood, handing a folder to Robbie and stuffing the other papers into her bag. "I know, just thought I'd try. Why don't ya come with me, she oughta be here soon."

Robbie stood and followed her and though he knew Loreen didn't blame them, he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. Susan grabbed his arm as he walked by and squeezed and Robbie smiled at her. Robbie and Loreen stepped out onto the porch. A vast nothingness of grass and trees and fields spread out before them. He inhaled deeply, letting the fresh air calm his senses. A car pulled up in front of the house and Loreen walked up to it. Robbie followed her down the front steps, but stayed behind. Loreen opened the door to the backseat and after some coaxing, two brunette girls stepped out of the vehicle.

"Now Luann, this is where you'll be staying," she said cheerfully to the brunette climbing out of the car after her sister.

Luann glared at her, "What do you mean 'Luann'?"

Loreen frowned and looked between the two of them. They were identical, but not impossible to tell apart. Not only did Luann usually look pissed off about something, but she was also two or three inches taller and Miley was much paler. She thought she'd been able to tell them apart. "I'm sorry, did I get you mixed up?"

Luann threw her another look, "No, why didn't you say 'Luann and Miley, you'll be staying here'?"

The older woman took a deep breath, looking between the girls and then back at Robbie who stood at the bottom of the porch. Luann was throwing her a rather hostile look. "Girls, I told you it would be hard to find a place that could take both of you."

"You said you'd try," Miley said and Loreen was surprised to hear the smaller brunette speak. It was normally Luann who made comments.

"I did try. There aren't many homes that will take teenagers and no one that is willing to take a special needs child. I'm sorry." Luann made a rash movement and for a second Loreen thought she was about to get punched.

"Don't you call my sister special," Luann ground out, fists already balled.

Miley grabbed her arm and held her back, "Just let it go, Lu."

Luann turned to face her sister, angry, "No, this isn't fair. Mom fucks up our lives, gets herself arrested, again, and now we can't stay together."

"Luann, honey…" Loreen tried again, "this is the best option right now. We'll take Miley to a group home where someone is always there to make sure she's doing okay. You guys will still be able to see each other."

"**I** make sure Miley is doing okay, we don't **need** anyone else!" Luann yelled and cursed the tears stinging her eyes.

"Honey, you're still just kids, someone needs to take care of you, okay?"

Luann scoffed and for the first time noticed her surroundings. Some ranch house in the middle of nowhere. Fantastic. "Great, so I get stuck out here with a bunch of hillbillies and Miley's gotta bunk with the retards."

Loreen frowned; this girl was just so difficult. She glanced back at Robbie, who hadn't moved. She hoped he wouldn't change his mind on taking Luann now, too. "Now Luann, that's not very nice."

Luann just glared at her, "Don't treat me like I'm five. I know it's not nice, that's why I said it."

"Alright, that's enough. You're staying here, Luann and that's final. Miley, you're coming back with me to the city," Loreen ordered, voice stern. She didn't like separating siblings, but that was just the way it was. They didn't have to try and make it harder.

Luann bit her tongue. She knew there was nothing she could say or do to change their situation; she was merely lashing out. Everything was just going wrong for them. She felt Miley squeeze her arm again and turned towards her sister. Miley had tears in her eyes and Luann knew she did, too. She wrapped her arms around her sister.

"I'll come see you as often as I can okay? Even if I have to commandeer a horse and buggy to get there," Luann said and Miley laughed quietly.

Robbie watched them with a heavy heart. He could tell Loreen was getting frustrated with the girls, but he just saw two scared teenagers who were about to lose the only family they had left. He shook his head and sighed.

Inside the house, Susan watched the scene from the kitchen window, a grin on her face. She turned her head as someone walked into the kitchen and motioned with her hand, "Lilly, come here."

The blonde girl gave her mother a quizzical look. She was standing by the sink, craning her head to look out the window at the front porch. Lilly joined her, seeing an unfamiliar car and a bunch of strangers. She looked at her mother in confusion.

"Just watch, your dad's about to cave," Susan said, smiling.

"Uh, what?"

Susan shook her head and moved back from the window. She knew Robbie too well. "Better make room for two more."

Lilly watched her leave in confusion and looked back out the window at the scene.

Robbie watched quietly as the girls said their goodbyes. They were crying now and his heart broke. He heaved a sighed and walked over, pointing a finger at Loreen, "You did this on purpose."

The girls pulled away, staring at the man now standing next to their social worker. Loreen managed more or less successfully to hide her grin, but he still glared at her. Robbie shook his head and turned towards the girls. He smiled at them, "My name's Robbie Ray Stewart, you can call me Robbie, or Mr. Stewart, whichever you'd prefer. Now let's get you two inside before it gets dark." He turned towards Loreen, his expression a little less friendly, "Loreen, you owe me. Now get the heck off my property."

Loreen grinned that time. She handed Robbie another folder and went to unlock the trunk. He motioned at the twins, "Come on, get your stuff, I'm starting to grow roots out here."

Luann grabbed her backpack, confused. She wasn't sure what was going on, whether Miley was allowed to stay with her. Robbie grabbed the other backpack out of the trunk and shut it. He motioned towards the house and Luann walked past him without a word, though glanced back at her sister multiple times. Miley was walking much slower than usual.

Robbie waited until the car, and with it Loreen, had left and turned to walk back to the house. One of the twins was walking incredibly slowly and he caught up with her. She looked up at him and smiled, open and dazzling. "Thank you, Mr. Stewart."

He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, "You're welcome, darlin'." He knew he'd done the right thing. Now, he'd just have to find a way to explain it to his wife.

* * *

Susan threw a look at her husband as he closed the front door behind him and he smiled sheepishly. She turned to the girls who stood, shoulder by shoulder, looking completely uncomfortable. Though they didn't have that overwhelmed and terrified look of kids new to foster care and she realized they had probably been through this a few times before. The thought, as always, made her sad. Some of the kids came into foster care because their parents got sick or died and could no longer take care of them. But Susan had never understood those parents that made their children's lives miserable through drugs, alcohol, neglect and abuse. She and Robbie had tried for years to have children of their own, to no avail, and had eventually decided on fostering those children that needed homes the most.

She smiled at them, trying to put them at ease. She didn't want them to get the impression she was mad at them for Robbie deciding to take both of them in. "Hey girls, I'm Susan I'm the mom. We're gonna have dinner soon, but let's get you settled first, okay? I'm sure you two would like to share a room, right?"

They nodded and she led them into the living room. It was empty and Susan wondered where the rest of the children had gone off to. "Yeah, I figured. I asked the boys to put the bunks back together; we'll see how well that goes. You'll have to share a room with Lilly, too; we're really only set up for four or five kids, but we'll make it work."

She was just about to lead them up the stairs, when Lilly came bounding down, coming to a jerky stop at the bottom, "Mom, Jackson just put a huge hole in the wall in my bedroom! What are they doing up there?" She stopped and stared at the four people standing in the living room. She glanced from her mother to her father and then at the two girls in between them. She blinked. They were definitely gorgeous. She smiled, "Hi, I'm Lilly."

She'd thought they were identically gorgeous, but she had been wrong. The brunette to the right returned her smile and Lilly's heart caught in her throat. Her blue eyes were so warm and captivating, her smile breathtaking, whereas her sister by her side simply glared at the blonde. Lilly felt a silly smile creep onto her face as she locked eyes with the smiling brunette. She had to force herself out of her trance just to hear what the girl was saying.

"I'm Miley, that's Luann," the brunette said, pointing at her sister who looked anything but happy. The blonde, Lilly, smiled at her again, eyes sparkling. Miley didn't know what it meant. She looked away shyly, cursing the butterflies in her stomach.

"Lilly, Miley and Luann are gonna be sharing your room, okay? I asked Jackson and Tyler to put the bunks back together. Why don't you show them upstairs and I'll call you down for dinner in a bit?" Susan said, warily eyeing her daughter. She'd seen the silly smile on Lilly's face and it did not bode well.

Lilly just nodded and motioned towards the stairway. She smiled at Miley again, before ascending the stairs. Miley smiled to herself until she looked over and saw Luann's glare. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

Luann tapped her foot anxiously and looked down at her plate. She didn't want to be here. It wasn't that the family was bad; compared to some of the other ones they'd been with, they were pretty decent. She still had Miley with her, which was really the most important thing and they got to share a room, even if it was a tight squeeze. But Luann hated being thrust into these happy family units that attempted to just absorb them and expect them to play along. She glanced at her sister and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Miley and that blonde girl had been throwing each other these foolish smiles all evening.

"So, you're from Nashville? Which part?" one of the boys across from her asked. She hadn't really bothered to remember anyone's names. He was tall and skinny, with dark hair.

She glanced at Miley, who was poking around at her food. Luann frowned; the food was a definite improvement to whatever they could've scrounged up at home. She didn't want to call out her sister in front of everyone, though. Luann looked back at the guy and shrugged, "Cayce."

He grimaced, "That bites. I spent some time there while I was crashing at a friend's."

Luann nodded, not really feeling like small talk. He seemed alright though. She looked around the table. Including her and Miley, there were seven kids, plus the two parents. The blonde they were sharing a room with looked to be about their age. Same with the dark-haired boy and the blonde one shoveling insane amounts of food into his face. Then there were two younger girls, maybe eight or ten, who were busily discussing which Jonas brother was cuter. Everyone else was silent, either too busy eating or poking at their food.

"I don't know if you got a chance to really meet everyone," Susan spoke up. She didn't like uncomfortable silences. "You met Lilly, Jackson and Tyler, I believe. Thanks for putting the beds up, boys. This is Amanda and that's Jennifer. They're both here in foster care, as is Tyler, though he is planning to move out on his own soon. We adopted Jackson and Lilly when they were younger and had been with us for a little while."

Luann glanced at everyone again, pretty sure she still wouldn't remember the names. She looked at Susan, voice deadpan, "So, you only keep the blonde ones?"

Robbie nearly choked on his food and Susan simply stared at the girl. Miley kicked her under the table, but didn't look up. Luann wanted to roll her eyes again. One of the little girls suddenly spoke up.

"So why are you here?"

Luann gave her a look, "I don't see how that's any of your business." Miley kicked her again, harder this time, and Luann glared at her sister. The girl continued, nevertheless.

"I'm here because my mom got sick, but she's gonna be better soon and I'm going back home," the girl said smugly, as if taunting Luann.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, kid. Shit happens."

Susan shook her head and looked at her husband. He sighed. "We don't allow cursing in this house. And we generally don't try to discourage each other, either."

Luann narrowed her eyes, "So I'm stuck with the Brady Bunch and can't even express my feelings? Great!"

Miley kicked her again, hard enough to make Luann turn, "Stop it, Miles."

Her sister glared at her, trying to talk as quietly as possible, "If you stop being rude."

Luann put her silverware on her plate and stood up, looking at Susan and Robbie, "I gotta go to the bathroom." She turned back to Miley, "I'll stop being rude if you eat your da…ng food." She walked away, though she felt somewhat bad. She wasn't mad at Miley and hadn't meant to take it out on her, too.

There was silence at the table, all eyes on Miley. She looked up, nervous. Her sister had a tendency to lash out when she was hurting, whereas Miley just got more introverted. These people seemed nice enough and she didn't want them to send her and Luann back. They'd probably end up separated then. "I'm sorry about Luann, she's just…" Miley sighed. She didn't know what Luann was. "It's been a hard few days."

"We know, honey, it's alright. It's gonna take some time for you to get settled," Susan said softly, hoping to reassure the brunette. She hadn't yet gotten a chance to read their files and only remembered minimally what Loreen had told them earlier. She knew though there had been an incident at their home and their mother had been arrested in front of them. Susan figured it would take them a while to get comfortable enough to trust her and Robbie and she could tell especially Luann was very distant.

Miley nodded, but she couldn't help but worry. It had only been two days since the whole ordeal at their apartment and she felt like her world was just crashing down around her. The last few times they'd been in foster care they had been younger and thus CPS had found them foster homes in Nashville, allowing them to go to their normal school, see their friends and stay in a familiar place. This time they'd been carted out to the middle of nowhere, Crowley Corners, where they knew no one. Miley dreaded the thought of having to attend a new High School, with all new kids who would pick on her and push her around. All new kids to piss off Luann and make her get into fights and get suspended.

The brunette sighed, still poking at her food. She knew Luann would get mad at her about it later, but she really wasn't hungry. She just felt so tired and exhausted and for once she couldn't tell whether it was because of her crappy heart or because of everything that had happened. She glanced up and saw everyone looking at her, as if studying an interesting specimen. Miley shifted uncomfortably and lowered her head again. Why wasn't Luann coming back? She just wanted to get out of there.

"Mom," Lilly broke the silence, drawing all eyes to her, "can I take Miley out to the stables? I wanna show her the horses."

Susan looked at her daughter and then back at the brunette. She hesitated, thinking of all the reasons she should say no. It was already dark outside, everyone was still eating dinner, she didn't know how sick Miley was and how much she was allowed to do. But seeing the near desperate and hopeful look on the brunette girl's face she nodded slowly, "Sure, just be careful, okay? And don't stay out there too long; we still have to go over some things."

Lilly smiled and practically jumped up. She'd been watching the beautiful brunette basically all night and had noticed her become more and more uncomfortable throughout, especially after her totally rude sister had left. Lilly loved seeing the smile on Miley's face and she didn't like the sad look on it now. Walking around to the other side of the table, Lilly held out her hand to Miley with a smile. Miley hesitated at first, but the blonde's smile melted her insides and she gave in. Lilly wrapped her warm hand around Miley's cold one and led her outside.


	3. It Rings All Through The Night

Thank you all for your awesome response to this story; I was a little worried no one would want to read something with a little (a lot) less action than my last story. I think I've said this before, but I have a feeling this is going to be quite long...so I hope you all like long stories. Enjoy...

* * *

**Chapter 3 – It Rings All Through The Night**

The night air was cold and clear and Miley shivered as soon as they stepped outside. Lilly still held her hand and stopped at the edge of the porch, turning to the brunette. The only light came from the small bulb by the door and through the windows, but she could see the other girl's face clearly. Every time she looked at Miley her stomach did a funny flip, but it was nothing compared to how she felt when she saw the brunette smile.

"Are you cold?" she asked softly, seeing the brunette shiver again.

Miley shrugged, hoping Lilly wouldn't force her to go back inside. Luann would, she knew, and Miley hated being treated like an invalid. She was just happy to be away from the horribly oppressive atmosphere at the dinner table and was incredibly grateful to Lilly for rescuing her.

Before she could even think of a good excuse, Lilly had already pulled her hand away and was unzipping her sweatshirt. Miley missed the comforting warmth of her hand. Lilly took off her sweater and handed it to the brunette with a grin, "Here, you can borrow mine."

Miley shook her head, "Then you'll be cold."

"I have a feeling if I don't make sure you're warm and toasty out here, your sister is going to eat me for a late night snack. And I'm hot anyways," Lilly grinned and winked at the other girl.

Miley blushed slightly as she took the sweater. Was Lilly flirting with her? She really wasn't too good at telling things like that, other than the few times Luann had let boys close enough to talk to her, but Miley had never been that interested. What was she supposed to do? She thought of asking her sister, but realized that would be a bad idea. Luann would flip if she thought Lilly was flirting with her. Suppressing a sigh, Miley slipped on the sweater, reveling in the warmth immediately surrounding her.

Lilly stepped up to the other girl and zipped up her sweater with a grin. Miley nearly held her breath when Lilly got close to her, suddenly feeling her heart thundering. That was never a good thing in her experience and she took a step back.

Lilly's grin dropped slightly, but she nevertheless zipped up the sweater and stepped back herself. She couldn't read the look on Miley's face, though she'd thought up until that point things had been going well. She tried not to frown and chastised herself for her thoughts. Here was this girl who had her whole life turned inside out overnight and was still trying to adjust and Lilly was flirting with her. She made a resolution to stop, though she could tell Miley had still been relieved to go outside with her. Lilly saw no reason to change her plans now.

"Come on, I still want you to see the horses," she said, smile back on her face and practically jumped off the porch.

Miley followed her at a safer speed, taking the steps. She could only see so far with the weak lighting falling through the windows, but Miley could tell there was nothing all around her. This was definitely different than Nashville. She took a few steps into the direction she had seen Lilly go to, but soon she was surrounded by utter darkness with no Lilly.

"Lilly?" she called out tentatively, her voice swallowed up by the darkness.

Suddenly someone was next to her and she nearly jumped, but when she felt Lilly's warm hand grasp hers again, she relaxed. "Come on, slowpoke, it's this way."

Lilly held her hand the entire way to the barn. She pulled Miley inside and flipped on a light switch, illuminating the entire row of stables. There were several different stalls and horses could be seen moving in some of them. Lilly turned to look at the brunette, who had a mesmerized look on her face. She let go of Lilly's hand and walked up to the first stall, looking through the bars at the large animal inside.

Lilly came up beside her and reached through the bars to rub the horse's face, "That's Blue Jeans. He's my horse. If you want, we can ride him sometime."

Miley followed Lilly's lead and reached out her hand to touch the animal. "I'd love to but there is no way Luann is letting me get on a horse."

The blonde pulled her hand back and looked at the other girl, confused, "What do you mean? Isn't that your decision?"

The horse nudged her hand and Miley pulled back as well. She turned and leaned against the stall door with a heavy sigh. She hadn't really planned on getting into this whole story, especially not with the blonde while she was still treating her like a normal person. It was just all too confusing. "Yeah, I guess…it's just…Luann's my big sister; she takes care of me."

Lilly turned as well, leaning against the door next to Miley, "You can't take care of yourself? And how much older can she possibly be?"

Miley sighed again and leaned her head back, "It's just complicated."

She suddenly felt the horse nipping at her hair and moved away. Lilly laughed and motioned towards the corner of the barn where multiple bales of hay were stacked. She sat down on one, patting the space next to her. Miley sat besides Lilly, though hesitantly. She didn't want to talk about her life or her family, but Miley didn't want Lilly to think she had no interest in talking to her at all. So far, she had felt most at ease around Lilly in this new place. Even Luann had made her antsy earlier with her rude behavior.

Lilly watched the emotions on the brunette's face and bit her lip. She hadn't meant to pry, but she was terribly curious about this girl. "Look, Miley, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be all nosy and stuff. I guess for me I just have a hard enough time doing what my mom tells me to, I can't imagine what I'd do if Jackson started bossing me around, too."

"It's not like that," Miley said softly. Most people didn't understand the relationship between her and Luann and she always hated when they thought poorly of her sister. "She doesn't order me around. She just…I guess in a way she just does what our mom never did…she looks out for me. She just worries about me…a lot."

"I didn't mean for it to sound like I think Luann is crazy for taking care of you. I guess it's just hard for me to understand why she would need to," Lilly shrugged, not wanting the brunette to be uncomfortable. She wanted Miley to trust her and for them to get to know each other better.

Miley looked at her in confusion, "I thought you went through foster care, too? You didn't have crappy parents?" It was weird to her, to talk about this with someone other than Luann. Someone who maybe had gone through some of the same things she had or at the very least understood that 'family' did not always describe happy people living in a house with white picket fences.

Lilly shrugged, "I don't know my biological parents. Someone left me at a police station when I was a baby. The Stewarts fostered me for just a short while after that and then adopted me."

"That's horrible," Miley said softly, trying to imagine a mother just dropping her baby off with strangers, never looking back.

"Is it? I got a great, loving family out of the deal, so I like to think that my mother or father were just trying to do the right thing, for whatever reason," Lilly said, almost sounding a bit defensive.

Miley grabbed her arm, not wanting the blonde to take her words the wrong way, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that…I just…I guess I've never understood why people have kids if they don't want them."

Lilly covered Miley's hand with hers and squeezed, "I know what you were trying to say, don't worry. And I don't know, maybe some people really want their kids and then something happens and they just can't take care of them anymore."

The brunette lowered her head and pulled her hand away, playing with her fingers in her lap. "My mom never wanted us. I think for someone like her, it would have been better if she had never had kids."

Lilly stared at the other girl, unsure of how to respond to a statement like that. She reached over and took Miley's hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. Miley lifted her head and looked at her, but did not try to pull away. Lilly smiled. "But then I never would have gotten to meet you and I think that'd be a shame."

Miley didn't know why, but just having Lilly hold her hand was sending tingles up and down her spine. She never wanted to let go and she never wanted Lilly to stop smiling at her. The warmth spreading through her body was so overwhelming she couldn't help but smile back. Lilly stood, not letting go of the brunette's hand.

"I think we should go back inside; I'm sure your sister is going to be mad I took you out here and I don't want to give her even more reason to hate me," Lilly said softly and pulled Miley to her feet.

Together they walked back to the house.

* * *

"I can't believe you."

"I can't believe **you**!"

"Me? I'm not the one cavorting with the enemy."

"You're nuts, Luann. They're trying to help us and you're being a total jerk."

"Yeah, well, you're being too nice. This is going to be just like all the other times and you'll get your heart broken, again. I don't like seeing you hurt."

Miley sighed heavily. She sat against the headboard of the bottom bunk, while Luann sat at the other end Indian-style. It was the first time they'd really gotten to talk since Luann walked out on dinner. Miley had avoided her sister's angry glares after coming back from the stables with Lilly and then Susan and Robbie had asked to talk to them privately, keeping Luann from speaking her mind.

"Maybe it won't," Miley shrugged.

Luann rolled her eyes at her sister. They'd been in foster care four times before and every time it ended the same – reunification with the biological parent. Those were CPS terms, not theirs. Reunification had a much more joyful ring to it than anything she'd associate with their mother. The first time had been when they were toddlers and neither girl remembered it. It had only lasted a few weeks. The second time was when Miley got sick, but only long enough for their mother to convince a judge she had not been neglectful in failing to provide Miley with the antibiotics that would have saved her heart. The third time, when their mom had gone to jail, had been the longest and the hardest. Luann, too, had let herself believe in the idea of a new, loving family and it had perhaps been the best six months she could remember. Of course, they'd been 'reunited' with mom, again and Luann had learned that there are no fairy tales. The fourth time, when a teacher at school had noticed some bruises on them and called CPS, had left her even bitterer. No one had cared what they wanted then and as soon as mom got rid of her child-beating boyfriend, they gave her back custody.

"Miley," Luann sighed, "mom always gets back custody, sooner or later. I just don't want you getting too attached to these people."

"She's gonna be in jail for a little while at least; what's so wrong with enjoying the few times we're not living in a shithole?"

Luann didn't have an answer for that and remained silent. The bedroom door opened and Lilly walked in, dressed for bed. Luann couldn't help but glare at her. Lilly smiled when she saw Miley and the brunette returned it. Luann rolled her eyes. The last thing she needed was some horny teenager going after her sister; even if it was a girl.

"Hey Miley…Luann," Lilly added, smile faltering slightly. She still didn't understand how two people who were identical could look so different. Luann hadn't said anything, but the glares she'd been shooting at the blonde since their return from the stables spoke volumes. "You guys ready for bed?"

She hadn't had to share a bedroom in a long time and though she wasn't too happy about Luann being there, Lilly would do it just to make Miley happy. She could tell despite everything the twins were incredibly close and didn't want to be separated.

"You better not snore, Blondie," Luann retorted and moved to get off the bed. She reached over and squeezed Miley's hand, looking at her intently, before getting up and climbing to the top bunk.

Lilly watched them from her own bed, frowning at the taller brunette. That girl was already getting on her last nerve. She looked back at Miley and felt a silly grin spread across her face again. She really wanted to talk to her more, but noticed Luann staring at her from the top bunk and turned away. Lilly climbed into her bed with a sigh. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

She flipped the folder shut with a heavy sigh and rubbed her hands across her face. When she looked back up, Robbie was staring at her, almost looking worried. Susan gave him a look and shook her head.

"I'm not mad at you."

He waited for a few moments, a questioning look on his face, "…but?"

"No 'but'. You did the right thing, honey. And in all honesty I knew you were going to cave the moment I saw those girls step out of the car."

"So you let me believe I was in the doghouse all this time?" he asked, incredulous.

Susan grinned and patted his hand on the table before her, "I like to keep you on your toes." She turned serious again seeing the folders of the girls' paperwork before her, "It's not gonna be easy. We've never had to take care of a sick child before."

He looked at her, nodding softly. She noticed the look on his eyes and covered his hand with hers, "I don't regret it, Robbie. I just hope we can do right by them. Those girls don't deserve more heartache and problems."

Robbie nodded, "It's gonna take some work, but we'll figure it out."

"Yeah, we'll figure it out."


	4. That Thing You Do

I'm pretty proud of myself for doing so well with the updating...I try not to keep my readers waiting too long. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it means a lot to me. I normally write stories with a lot more action/adventure and it's kinda different for me to try to base something just on emotions. So please let me know how I'm doing and how you're liking the story. Now, on with it...

* * *

**Chapter 4 – That Thing You Do**

Luann was tapping her foot in annoyance. She wasn't used to so much hustle and bustle at the breakfast table and it was driving her nuts. Most of the time they hadn't even eaten breakfast, either because there was no food in the house or they were trying to avoid their mom or James. She had to admit, compared to that, this breakfast was heaven. Of course, Luann did not want to show her new foster family that she was enjoying any part of her stay here. She looked over at her sister, who was digging into the pancakes. At least Miley was eating, she figured, though she didn't have to look so excited about the food. She noticed her sister reaching for the plate of bacon in the middle of the table and grabbed her wrist, throwing her a look. Miley gaped at her.

"Are you serious?"

"Serious," Luann said and Miley snatched her wrist away.

Everyone was looking at them again, confused by the twins' odd communication. Lilly watched the two brunettes, not sure what was really going on with them. Miley's words yesterday had confused her a little, but Luann's behavior around her sister was a true mystery to her. It wasn't just a simple case of an older sibling taking care of a younger one. Lilly knew if Jackson, or even her parents, told her not to eat something she wanted, there would be a fight. She was going to figure out what was going on here.

Luann pushed a bowl towards her sister, "Here, have some oatmeal instead."

Miley pushed the bowl back, glaring at her sister. She hated when Luann treated her like she was a baby. "Thanks, I'm good."

"Miley," Luann said, a warning tone in her voice.

"Luann."

The twins were staring at each other, battling silently. Susan watched them for several moments and stepped up to the table. She knew she'd have her work cut out for her. "Alright, kids, off to school. Miley, Luann, I need you two to stay here."

The other five kids hesitated, clearly wanting to witness what was about to happen. Susan clapped her hands and the kids jumped up, rushing to grab their stuff and run out the door. Lilly stopped to say bye to Miley and Luann rolled her eyes at them. She'd have to think of something soon.

Susan waited until the rest of the kids were out of the house and sat at the table across from the twins. They both looked at her, Luann with a sort of reserved hostility, and Miley with an open curiosity. "Alright, we're going to enroll you in school today and you'll be able to start on Monday. There just wasn't enough time to do it yesterday, but I'm sure you won't mind taking a day off."

They didn't respond, so she continued, "I know you two have been through this before, but CPS requires each child to have a physical within 30 days of being placed in foster care. Miley, I'm trying to get someone to see you sooner, just for peace of mind, okay?"

Miley seemed to deflate at her words, clearly not thrilled at having to see a doctor. Though Luann looked a little less hostile all of a sudden. The older woman tried to think of what she'd read in the girls' files, but there hadn't been a huge amount of information. She figured she was better off just finding everything out for herself.

"Miley, are you taking any medications?"

The smaller brunette turned to look at her sister and back at Susan, then shrugged, "Not really. The doctor at the ER gave me something, but he said I need a cardiologist to see me."

"She was supposed to be on medication, but mom wasn't exactly good at keeping doctor's appointments and filling prescriptions," Luann said bitterly.

Susan tried not to let her emotions show, but she felt angry herself. She had read in their files the things their mother had done to them and it made her sick. Perhaps the woman hadn't physically abused them, but failing to provide her children with a safe home, food and clothes was just as bad in her eyes. Susan could not understand how a mother could let her sick child suffer.

"Well, we're gonna make sure you get whatever you need, hun. And if anything is wrong, anything at all, you come let me or Robbie know right away, okay?"

Miley nodded and smiled softly at her. It felt strange having an adult around that seemed to genuinely care for them and she wasn't sure how to take it. Maybe it was all just an act and soon they'd turn into evil goblins or something. She looked at her sister, trying to see what Luann thought of this. Luann just shrugged, barely, as if she didn't want to voice her opinion. She'd probably tell Miley all about how she thought they were living with crazy hillbillies later.

"Now that we got that settled, as I explained last night, everyone in this house pitches in, so since you two aren't going to school today, you can help me around the house," Susan said.

"Whoa, what?" Luann moved forward, eyes narrowed.

"Everyone does chores; you've never done chores before?" Susan asked and regretted it almost immediately. Of course they hadn't, nothing like what her children did.

Luann snorted, "No, I had a **job**. So I could feed us. Is that what this is? We have to work so you'll take care of us?"

Susan noticed Miley elbowing her sister. She shook her head, "No, Luann, that's not what this is. All the children in this house do chores; it's important to help each other out. Don't worry, it's not gonna kill you."

"Well, Miley can't do chores; she's sick," Luann said matter-of-factly. Susan marveled at the fact that all arguments with Luann seemed to always end up with her protecting her sister. It was as if she fought for herself just on principle, but for Miley she would not budge.

Miley turned to her sister, "I am **fine**, Luann. Stop treating me like an invalid."

"You remember almost passing out when James came after us? You're right, you are fine," Luann said bitingly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd fought so much with her sister as they had since they'd been here. Another reason to hate their new foster family.

"That's not fair and you know it! This is nothing like that; no one is coming after me here. Will you please just let me be normal for once?" Miley said angrily, though her voice cracked at the end.

Luann sighed and leaned towards her sister. She beat up people that made her sister cry, though she could hardly kick her own ass. "Miley…I…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Susan could tell it wouldn't be easy for them to redefine their roles, especially for Luann who was so used to taking care of her sister. She cleared her throat, making them look at her, "Look, Luann, I don't want to hurt Miley any more than you do. I would never ask her to do something that she can't do. But she is a part of this family and it's only fair, to her and to everyone else, that she be treated and act like everyone else. That includes chores."

Luann grumbled something unintelligible. Internally she was warring with herself. Unfortunately, the woman was sort of right. She did try anything and everything to protect Miley, which normally meant not letting her do anything. She just couldn't risk losing her sister. She looked at Miley and sighed.

"Yeah, whatever, let's do this."

Miley smiled and Luann rolled her eyes. She had never seen anyone so happy at the prospect of doing chores. Her sister was truly weird.

Susan stood, "Luann, I think I'll have you helping out with the horses."

Luann stared at her, "Are you serious?" Miley laughed at the look on her face.

"Oh yeah," Susan smiled, "and Miley, you're gonna take care of the chickens, it's not too strenuous."

Luann grinned, standing up as well, "This I wanna see."

Miley made a face at her, but followed nonetheless. Together they exited the kitchen and walked out to the back.

* * *

"Hey Lilly."

The blonde looked up and smiled when she saw Miley. The brunette sat down at the table next to her. Lilly felt sort of stupid, having spent almost all day thinking about the other girl, but as she laid eyes on Miley again, she remembered why. Miley was breathtaking.

"Hey Miley, have a good day?" she asked, trying to sound neutral. Even Jackson had made fun of her on the way to school, saying she'd spent the entire breakfast making googly eyes at the brunette. She knew if her idiotic brother had noticed something, she better tone it down. It was going to be hard.

Miley nodded with a grin, "Oh yeah, Luann got to muck out the horse stalls. She fell. It was awesome."

Lilly laughed, trying to imagine the rude brunette covered in horse manure. "So she's in a foul mood?"

"Oh yeah," Miley laughed. Every teenager in the nation dreaded doing chores, but to her it had felt good just to do something normal for once. To have an adult tell her what to do, but make sure she knew what she was doing and she was okay and praise her for her work afterward. Maybe she liked the way it felt rewarding and comforting. She knew Luann didn't quite see it that way, yet.

"So, what are you doing?" Miley asked the blonde. She liked being around Lilly; it was easy and she wanted to feel the butterflies in her stomach again. She'd never felt like this around anyone and she wished she could ask her sister. Luann had had boyfriends before, she'd been with her current one for several months in fact and if anyone could have given her relationship advice, it would be her sister. Of course, Miley knew, Luann would not be happy if she told her she got butterflies around Lilly.

Lilly shrugged, "Just finishing my homework. Hey, you wanna go do something?"

"Like what? Is there even anything to do in this town?" Miley asked, eyebrows raised. She didn't know how she was managing to keep so calm; her insides had been in turmoil since Lilly's question. She'd certainly had crushes before on some girls at school, but this was totally different. These feelings weren't the same at all. She wished Luann wasn't so protective.

The blonde scoffed, "Please, there is a **ton** to do."

"Anything that doesn't require a horse, a rifle or line dancing?"

Lilly made a face, "Yeah, well…a smaller selection, perhaps, but still a few things. We could go see a movie…or get ice cream?"

"You have a movie theater? Seriously?"

"It only has one screen, well like half a screen really…and it shows movies that came out on DVD weeks ago, but hey, don't knock it. So, how about it, you wanna go?"

Miley didn't know what to think. Was Lilly asking her on a date? She couldn't be, Miley rationalized. The blonde was merely being friendly, being a good foster sister, making sure Miley had an easy transition. Of course, Lilly hadn't been very nice to Luann at all, nor had she really tried talking to her. Luann was rude, though. She did want to go with Lilly, but did she want to go as a date? And if she did want to go as a date, and Lilly hadn't meant it that way, then Miley would feel stupid. And if Lilly had meant it as a date and Miley didn't, then she'd feel awkward. This was difficult. Before she got a chance to answer, they were interrupted, however.

"There you are." Both girls looked up to see Luann enter the kitchen and walk up to the table. She stood across from them, eyeing the two suspiciously. The blonde had a few books and paper spread out in front of her, but Miley sat sideways in her chair next to Lilly, way too close for Luann's liking. And she had seen the way Lilly had been looking at Miley, all dopey smiles and dilated pupils. Not to mention Miley's confused ecstatic smiley face.

"Hi Luann," Lilly said, though she sounded anything but happy to see the brunette.

Luann smiled tightly, looking between them, "What are you two up to?"

Miley and Lilly were silent for a few moments, even chancing a glance at each other, before looking away again. They had clearly come to the understanding that whatever was going on between them, they'd be better off not clueing in Luann. Miley met her sister's eyes and sighed at the intent glare she received. She couldn't lie to Luann, nor did she really want to.

"Lilly suggested we go see a movie, since it's Friday night and all," Miley said softly, playing with her hands nervously. She didn't want to make Luann mad or disappointed and she knew she had a tendency to do that with her family members.

Luann was going to make a smart comment, until she saw the look on Miley's face. Apprehension, fear even and she swallowed. Was her behavior so horrible she was making her sister dread telling her things she wanted to do? She wanted to protect Miley, from pain and fear and horny teenagers, not be the one to make her unhappy. Maybe it wouldn't be so horrible to let Miley go somewhere with Lilly, to let her just be normal for once. Of course, that didn't mean Luann wasn't going to be there every single second making sure Lilly kept her horny paws off her sister.

"Sounds great, when are we leaving?" she asked, grinning.

Lilly suppressed a groan. That was the last thing she had wanted, getting stuck with Luann in a movie theater. She risked a glance at Miley, though the younger brunette didn't seem too perturbed. Then again, Miley actually liked Luann and wasn't in certain danger of having her head ripped off if she made one wrong move. Lilly knew Luann had probably seen her make googly eyes at her sister and the blonde dreaded going anywhere with her.

"Uh, just let me finish this and I'll ask Jackson or Tyler to drive us," Lilly said, trying to sound non-chalant about it. Perhaps she could bring one of her brothers along for reinforcement, perhaps to distract Luann long enough for her to get close to Miley.

Luann sat in a chair across from them, as if she were just waiting for Lilly to finish. Miley knew otherwise, however, and sighed, realizing that even if Lilly had meant it as a date, there was no way it would be one now.

* * *

Luann sat heavily in the rickety movie theater seat, ignoring the glares she was receiving from both sides now. Part of her felt duty bound to be a good sister and keep Lilly from Miley and the other part felt duty bound to be a good sister and let Miley enjoy herself for once. So what if she'd forcibly taken the seat between the two? Who knew what Lilly had been planning asking her sister to a dark movie theater? Luann had dated teenage boys before and she figured Lilly was probably no different. There was no way that slick blonde was going to go near her innocent sister.

"Luann, what are you doing?" Miley hissed at her from her left. Luann looked at her sister, confusion written on her face.

"I thought we were going to watch this movie…what is it again?"

"Harry Potter," Miley ground out, "that's not what I'm talking about." She couldn't believe her sister. Miley had been following Lilly and Tyler to their seats, when Luann had slipped in front of her and taken the seat next to Lilly. Miley didn't know why Luann was acting like this; it wasn't as if she'd been planning a make out session in the back of the theater. She blushed at the thought. She'd just wanted to sit next to Lilly.

Luann shrugged, "You'll be fine, Miles, don't worry."

Miley looked away from her sister, hurt. Luann had always been overprotective, especially after she'd gotten sick, but she was taking it to new levels. No one at their old school had ever really dared flirt with Miley or ask her out, mostly because they knew about Luann. The few boys that had either been brave or stupid enough to, Miley hadn't been interested in. She'd known for a long time she was more interested in girls; something Luann had always been very supportive of. Miley now realized it had probably been because Luann had never expected a girl pretty enough to catch Miley's eye to actually be interested.

Lilly looked to her left, trying not to let her annoyance with the older brunette show. She'd asked Miley to a movie, not Luann, though she would've been okay with everyone else tagging along if she'd just gotten to sit next to Miley. Now she was seated between Tyler and Luann, neither of which had been her first choice. She sighed and got up, passing past Luann, Miley, who gave her a questioning look, and Jackson at the other end.

"I'm just gonna get some popcorn. Anyone want anything?"

They all shook their heads and she left. They sat in silence for several minutes. Jackson was talking to Miley a bit, though Luann didn't care about that. She knew he wasn't a threat, all dopey and disgusting. Not to mention male. Luann had known Miley was gay before Miley had even known herself. It had never bothered her; she loved her sister no matter what. She just didn't want Lilly anywhere near her baby sister.

She noticed movement to her left and saw Lilly squeezing through the row back towards them. She stopped at Jackson's seat and leaned down to quietly talk to her brother for a few seconds. Eventually Jackson stood up and maneuvered past Miley and Luann, to take Lilly's empty seat. Luann looked over and saw Lilly now sitting in Jackson's former seat, right next to Miley. The two girls were grinning at each other. She turned and glared at Jackson.

"Whoa, don't give me that look. I wanted to sit next to Tyler…guys gotta stick together, y'know. And anyways, I don't see the big deal about them sitting next to each other," Jackson said, shrugging. He'd made fun of his sister, but he had to admit the way those two kept looking and smiling at each other was kind of cute. Not that he'd say it out loud.

Luann turned away from him, towards her sister. She grabbed Miley's arm, tugging on it, "Miley, switch seats with me."

Miley gaped at her sister, "No way, Luann. You picked that seat, you're staying in it."

"Miley, seriously, switch," Luann said, gritting her teeth. Why were they fighting so much all of a sudden? Why was it that her good intentions for her sister were coming across as crazy over protectiveness? Miley had never cared before that Luann watched over her so fiercely. Of course, Luann conceded, Miley had never really had anyone interested in her like Lilly so obviously was.

"I don't want to, Lu," Miley said, sounding irritated, yet hurt.

Luann let go of her arm and sighed heavily. She was hurting her sister and she hated herself for it. Of course, when Lilly the horny teenager broke Miley's heart, she'd be hurt even worse. "Fine, whatever."

Miley turned away from her sister. Lilly looked at her with those magnetic blue eyes and a soft smile and Miley exhaled. The blonde held out her bucket of popcorn to her and she grabbed a handful, returning the smile. She didn't know what was going on between her and Lilly, but she knew she didn't want Luann to ruin it, either. They shared Lilly's popcorn silently, though occasionally their hands would brush against each other and it made Miley's spine tingle. She couldn't explain the feelings she got around the blonde, but she liked them.

"This isn't scary, is it?" she asked the blonde quietly.

Lilly looked at her with a crooked grin, "Nah, but if you get scared, don't worry, I'll protect ya."

Miley looked down, blushing. She was sure Lilly had been flirting with her then. She wanted to say something witty in response, but her brain was mush and the previews were already starting. So she sat nervously next to the blonde, wondering what was happening to her, as the previews played. The movie began and she felt herself relax some, paying attention more to the storyline.

She was pretty engrossed in the movie, when several loud noises made her jump. Suddenly a warm hand wrapped around her left and intertwined their fingers. Miley held her breath, heart suddenly hammering and prayed that she wasn't going to pass out. She didn't dare look over at Lilly, afraid she was just imagining things, but there was no mistaking the pleasant warmth surrounding her hand and spreading throughout her body. She felt the hand give hers a slight squeeze and turned her head. Lilly grinned at her. Miley exhaled and smiled back at the blonde. She leaned back against her seat, relaxed, Lilly's hand still tightly holding onto hers.


	5. Leader of Men

Thanks to all that have reviewed, it means a lot to know people are enjoying this. I was hoping to update more frequently, but since I've started school again the endless reading and writing of boring papers seems to have put my muse to sleep. Perhaps she needs some grand words of inspiration...

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Leader of Men**

Miley closed her math book with a heavy sigh. She had always enjoyed school, mainly because it had given her an escape from her crappy home life. Their new school was a little harder though and after only one week she was trying not to fall behind. She'd always had good grades and wanted to keep it that way. At least she was finished with her homework for tonight; she was ready to fall asleep at the kitchen table. She knew Luann hadn't even started, but then again, her sister had never cared a huge amount about school.

She heard someone enter the kitchen and turned. Robbie was pouring himself a drink, but sat down in a chair next to her when he noticed her at the table. "Hey there, bud, how you doing?"

Miley smiled at him. She had only been there a few days, but for the most part, she really liked her new foster parents. They were kind and loving, they were strict in some instances, but always joked around with their kids. They cared, and to Miley it was truly weird to have someone other than Luann be concerned for her well-being. "Just finishing up my homework."

"Well, if the rest of the kids were as studious as you, I could've avoided a lot of arguments over the years. Jackson, especially, tries anything to get out of doing schoolwork. That boy, I swear," Robbie said with a shake of his head.

"I like school," Miley shrugged, embarrassed by her admission. Normal kids just didn't like school, and even her own mother had called her a nerd multiple times. A nerd who would never amount to anything, which to Miley had always seemed kind of stupid. Then again, her mom had been drunk when she'd said it.

Robbie smiled at the brunette. Miley was a sweet girl and seemed to truly respond to him and Susan and he enjoyed seeing her happy. Her sister was a whole nother story, though he knew Luann was a good kid; she just had a hard time letting go of the past and the possibility of a similar future. "I'm glad, but don't overwork yourself, alright? You look mighty tired there."

Miley shrugged, stowing her school supplies in her backpack, "Just a long day. I'm done, though."

He stood, "Well, come on, then, everyone's watchin' a movie in the living room."

She followed him into the adjacent living room, where everyone was lounging on the few available seats or the floor. A kid's movie was playing on the large TV. Robbie took a seat next to his wife on the sofa, Lilly on the other side of him. She looked up at Miley and grinned. Jackson sat in the sole recliner, clearly pleased with himself, while Tyler was taking up the beanbag on the ground, looking less happy. The two younger girls were sitting on the ground against the sofa, caught up in the movie. And to the right, Luann sat by herself on the loveseat, talking on the phone. Even though there was plenty of space next to her, everyone had clearly preferred their more uncomfortable seats on the floor to sharing a loveseat with Luann. Miley rolled her eyes and sat next to her sister.

It wasn't even totally dark outside, yet, but Miley felt like she could fall asleep just sitting there. She hated how easily tired she got now. She had noticed Lilly giving her suspicious looks about it, mostly over the weekend, when the other kids went outside to play or ride the horses and she'd preferred to stay in. Miley didn't know if Lilly would have a problem with her condition, but she just didn't want the blonde to treat her any differently. She liked how Lilly flirted with her and did small things that turned Miley's insides to mush. Like letting her have her sweatshirt outside, or drawing a whipped cream smiley face onto her pancake or carrying her books to class. They hadn't talked about any of it, but regardless of what it was, Miley didn't want it to change.

Her eyelids drooped and she leaned against her sister, resting her head on Luann's shoulder. Luann turned to look at Miley.

"Hey Miles, you alright?" she asked softly.

"Just tired. Is that Oliver?" Miley mumbled, blinking her eyes as she looked at her sister still on the phone.

Luann nodded, "Yeah, you wanna say 'hi'?"

Miley scoffed, "No."

The older brunette grinned, turning her attention back to the phone, "Sorry, Ollie. Miley says 'hi'…yeah, she is…I gotta go, okay…I'll see you this weekend…yeah, you too."

She hung up and tossed the phone onto the coffee table. Luann grabbed one of the throw pillows off the loveseat and put it in her lap, pulling Miley down to put her head on it. Her sister stretched out across the loveseat and Luann snapped her fingers at Lilly.

"Hey, Blondie, throw me that blanket."

All eyes turned to her, mostly incredulous and Lilly met her gaze, challenging. Luann rolled her eyes, "Please. It's for Miley."

She could tell Lilly was warring with herself; on one hand she'd be following Luann's rude orders, but on the other she'd be doing something for Miley. The blonde heaved a sigh and tossed the blanket to Luann. Really she just wished she could kick Luann off the loveseat and let Miley sleep in her lap. She shook her head, banishing the thoughts. They were too dangerous with everyone watching.

"You have a way with words, you know that, Luann?" Robbie said from his spot on the sofa, voice slightly exasperated, though joking.

The brunette shrugged, looking at him, "I probably get it from my mom, she's a regular wordsmith."

Luann spread the blanket over her sister, who was already asleep. She looked down at Miley and suppressed a sigh. She just wanted her sister to be okay and she couldn't help but be worried. It had been like this for a few years and the fact that it hadn't really gotten worse should've reassured her, but didn't. If she lost Miley, she didn't know what she would do. A tiny part of her brain reminded her of the fact that these people seemed to care a greater deal more about her sister's well-being than their mom ever had and that only living with them could maybe finally guarantee Miley getting the proper treatment. But Luann pushed that part away; she didn't want to have a reason to like it here. She didn't want to be here, but she didn't really want to go home, either. Luann didn't know what she wanted.

* * *

The soft music playing in the background was relaxing her, though the way her bare upper arm was pressed against Lilly's was driving her crazy. Their hips were touching as well, though at least through the cloth of their pajama pants. They were lying on their stomachs on Lilly's bed, flipping through her yearbook from last year. Miley couldn't believe the feelings coursing through her body, the butterflies in her stomach, the tingling where their arms touched and her clammy hands.

"Oh, this is the best, Amber's yearbook picture. Talk about a bad hair day. She tried to have them redo the picture and when that failed, she tried to have her dad sue the school or something," Lilly said, pointing at Amber's horrible picture on the page.

Miley laughed. She'd had two run-ins with Amber and her sidekick in the first three days at school. She'd had none in the week since. They'd made fun of her for being in foster care and then for hanging out with Lilly and then the third time they'd mistaken Luann for her. Luann had offered to smash their teeth in and the two annoying girls had seemed to avoid Miley after that.

"So, let's see your picture," she said with a smile, trying to flip through the pages.

"Oh no, no way," Lilly said, trying to pull the book away from the brunette.

Miley pouted at her and Lilly's heart did a weird flip. She knew was in trouble when it came to this girl. She let go and Miley pulled the book over to herself triumphantly. She quickly found Lilly's picture and grinned.

"Aww, little skater Lilly."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. So I had a phase where I liked to wear hats," Lilly said, shrugging. In all honesty, she'd show Miley a thousand embarrassing pictures of herself if she could hear the brunette laugh. And have her this close, in her bed no less.

"I think it's cute," Miley said softly and met Lilly's eyes. The blonde smiled at her. Miley had her feet in the air, too fidgety to lay still, but suddenly she felt Lilly's feet nudging hers. Her heart shot up into her throat. Lilly was playing footsie with her and Miley thought she was going to pass out. She blushed and looked down, though didn't move her feet.

Lilly grinned, "I think you're cute when you're blushing."

Miley looked back up and their eyes met, again. They were so close now and Lilly wanted nothing more than to lean forward and kiss Miley. She didn't want to scare off the brunette though, who looked slightly terrified. Miley hadn't seemed to be bothered by Lilly playing footsie with her, or how close they were on the bed, or the continuous flirting, but the blonde figured maybe she was just shy. And she really didn't want to ruin this by going too fast. Lilly reached out a hand and tucked some stray hair behind Miley's ear.

A whole army of butterflies marched through her insides and Miley held her breath. Her head swam, her heart thundering, hands sweaty and face probably red again, but she was enjoying every second of it. Lilly was so close to her and looking at her with those incredible blue yes. Miley had never wanted to kiss anyone so badly before.

The bedroom door opened and both girls practically flew apart, both thinking of Luann. Miley was terrified her sister would yell and be mad at her, while Lilly was thinking she should have kissed Miley after all, before her very imminent death. Both looked to the doorway and felt relieved at seeing Susan standing there. She was looking at them with confusion written on her features.

"Girls, it's time for bed." She'd seen them shoot apart, but she'd also seen how close they'd been right before. Their behavior was horribly suspicious, but Susan had watched them over the past few days and wasn't surprised. Lilly had come out to her and Robbie a year ago and though she hadn't known about Miley, Susan didn't think it was intrinsically a bad thing for them to like each other. She just didn't want a bad situation on her hands, and this had plenty of potential to go bad.

Miley slid to the edge of the bed, trying to calm her racing heart. "Where's Luann?"

"Doing her homework. I guess she thought she was exempt. She'll be up as soon as she's finished; I don't want you waiting up for her okay, you need your sleep," Susan said and though it sounded like a general statement, Miley knew it had been directed at her. She had explained to Susan and Robbie that she didn't want the other kids to know about her heart, because she didn't want to be treated differently. So far, they had respected her wishes.

"Alright, mom, we're going," Lilly said, still slightly reeling from the shock of almost being caught that close to Miley by Luann. She really needed to be more careful.

Susan shook her head at them, smiling softly, "Goodnight, girls."

As soon as the door closed the girls looked at each other, laughing. Lilly, too, slid to the edge of the bed, next to Miley. She looked down and covered the brunette's hand with hers. She met Miley's eyes, smiling.

"Well, goodnight, Miley," Lilly said softly and leaned over, pressing her lips to Miley's cheek. She got up to turn off the light.

Miley sat there, stunned, unable to move. Lilly had kissed her. True, it had only been on the cheek, but that was a hell of a lot better than any other kiss she had ever had. She'd never felt so alive before. It wasn't until Lilly stood before her in the near dark, grinning mischievously with her head cocked, that Miley realized she hadn't moved. She blushed again and got off Lilly's bed, climbing into her own off to the side. Once they were both under the covers, her head finally cleared enough to speak.

"Goodnight, Lilly."

* * *

"Look, I really can't," she said, trying not to get angry. She could tell people were starting to stare at her.

The large man rounded on her and Miley took a step back. Lilly had told her their PE teacher was a former drill sergeant in the Marines or the Army and she clearly had not been lying. He was huge, broad shouldered and muscular, his hair styled in a military cut and he seemed to always look angry.

"I heard you the first time, Miss Jordan. Why is it that you think you cannot participate in PE?" he asked her, arms crossed in front of his chest. He wasn't even yelling, but his voice carried loudly through the gym. People were stopping what they were doing and watching them. He turned on them, "Keep running and don't let me see you stopping again or you can do another five suicides."

The other students groaned, but continued running. Mr. Dennison turned his eyes back on Miley. He was truly intimidating. She knew Lilly had been watching her, trying to figure out what was going on and Miley hoped she wasn't close enough to listen. "I'm sick, I'm not supposed to run."

"You're sick?" he asked, voice incredulous and the brunette nodded, "You look fine to me. Do you have a doctor's note to excuse you from running?"

Miley fidgeted nervously. She wished Luann was in PE class with her, but their schedules were hardly similar at all. The way Mr. Dennison was glaring at her was making her nervous. "No…I haven't been to the doctor in a while…but I can't run."

Mr. Dennison nodded, "So, for all you know, you might be okay to run. No note, no sitting out."

He turned to walk away from her, surveying the kids running from line to line. Miley rubbed a hand across her face and moved to follow him. Lilly jogged up to her, slightly out of breath, "What's wrong, Miles?"

Miley shook her head, she didn't want Lilly to know and she didn't want to talk about it. She just wanted to be allowed to walk instead of running, like she'd done at her old school. As soon as Mr. Dennison had seen her walking he had been in her face, yelling. She walked up to him again, standing there while he ignored her. After a few moments he spoke without looking at her.

"I don't see you running."

"Mr. Dennison, please…I really can't run," Miley said, her voice taking on a hint of panic. There were over thirty minutes of gym class left; it was unlikely she could avoid running by stalling for that long.

He turned and stared at her, eyes cold, "Would you like detention, Miss Jordan?"

Miley gaped at him; she had never had detention in her life. Why wasn't he listening to her? When she didn't respond he turned back to everyone else and blew his whistle. The other students stopped running, most of them already looking exhausted after only ten minutes. They looked at him warily.

Mr. Dennison's voice boomed through the gym this time, "Alright, everyone, take a one minute water break. I just want you all to know that you'll be doing suicides until Miley here finishes five. I suggest you motivate her."

Miley's heart sunk in response to his words. Everyone was glaring at her now and she could hear a few words hissed at her by passing students. Someone actually bumped into her, throwing her a glare as they walked by. It was some rude girl named Joannie. Lilly came up to her, looking at her questioningly. Miley bit her lip. What was she supposed to do now? Mr. Dennison blew his whistle again and with more groans the students were back to running. Lilly lightly tugged on her arm.

"Come on, Miley, I'll run with you. I'll make sure you finish, okay?"

She knew Lilly was only being nice, but Miley knew there was no way she could finish. She hesitated, but when she saw Mr. Dennison's angry little eyes directed at her, she began jogging. Lilly was right next to her and though she had already been running for over ten minutes, she seemed to be in pretty good shape. They touched the first line and turned around. They kept running. She felt okay until she reached the third line.

Miley's heart was thundering, trying to break through her ribcage. She tried to take a deep breath. There just wasn't enough air for her to suck in and she started breathing more rapidly. A few black spots appeared before her eyes. She kept following Lilly. Her legs were moving, but she felt completely disjointed. Miley blinked her eyes, wishing the spots away. She gasped for breath. She sounded like she'd been running for an hour. Lilly turned to look at her. They reached the starting line again and bent down to touch it. Miley's vision closed in on her. Her breaths came in shallow, short gasps that provided nowhere near enough air. She kept following Lilly.

Lilly looked at the brunette, concern written on her face. They weren't going very fast, just jogging as opposed to the full-out running the blonde had been doing earlier. Maybe Miley was just really out of shape, but Lilly didn't really think so. Her face was pale and she was gasping for breath like she was suffocating. Miley clutched at her chest and Lilly stopped.

"Miley?"

Lilly saw her reaching out a hand as if to steady herself on something. Then Miley crashed to the ground, unmoving.


	6. Nothing Important Happened Today

I noticed everyone loves the cliffhangers...maybe I should do a few more. I kid, mostly. Thanks for the reviews everyone, they're greatly appreciated. A few questions came up, so I'll try to answer them. The title, Chimurenga, is a word I took from an African revolutionary war against the British, but today it can also mean a struggle for human rights and social justice...it'll become more clear as the story wears on. Secondly, someone asked about Miley and Luann having to testify in court; this will be explained later on, as well. Stick with me and enjoy ;)

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Nothing Important Happened Today**

Luann tore down the hallway at breakneck speed, nearly bowling over some other students in her way. She clutched a note in her hand and though it did not hold much information, she knew it was bad news. She'd known before the scrawny student had interrupted her Biology class, she'd known something bad had happened and was only waiting for a sign. She couldn't lose Miley, she just couldn't. She blinked away the tears; she could not be seen crying in the hallway at school.

She rounded a corner and almost skidded to a stop. The nurse's office was right in front of her and she burst inside, not caring about protocol. The room wasn't very large; a desk to the right and some shelves with medical supplies to the left. A curtain partitioned the back wall, but it was partially drawn back and Luann saw Lilly, sitting on the edge of a bed. She felt queasy. A woman wearing tackily patterned scrubs suddenly blocked her way.

"Hey, can I help you?"

Luann tried to catch her breath and pointed towards where Lilly was sitting, "My sister."

The woman gave her a sympathetic look and led her over to the bed. Lilly turned and jumped up when she saw Luann, though the brunette had noticed her holding Miley's hand. It was the least of her worries now.

"Luann, I don't know what happened…one minute we were just running and then she just…passed out…I'm so sorry, I should've watched out for her," Lilly said, voice shaky.

Luann just pushed past her to see her sister and sat heavily on the edge of the bed. Miley was propped up on several pillows, an oxygen mask on her face and Luann felt relieved the nurse at least seemed to know what she was doing. Miley was pale, but seemed to be breathing normally. Her eyes were closed. Luann took her hand, squeezing it.

"Miley," she said, trying to make her voice sound calmer than she was feeling. Her sister blinked her eyes open warily, squinting at her and Luann exhaled in relief. Then she remembered what Lilly had said and turned to the blonde, who stood closely behind her. "What do you mean 'you were running'?"

Lilly stared at Luann, confused. Her head was still reeling from everything. When Miley had passed out, she'd been next to the girl in an instant, yelling for Mr. Dennison to help her. She'd never seen her intimidating PE teacher look so scared as he had when he carried an unconscious Miley to the nurse's office. Lilly had followed and when no one had challenged her, she'd stayed. She'd watched the nurse tend to Miley and had asked her to get Luann out of class. Lilly had stayed by Miley's side, terrified until the brunette had woken up.

"We were running…in PE class," Lilly said, unsure of what Luann was asking.

"Why was Miley running?" Luann asked, feeling the anger take over now that she knew Miley was okay.

Lilly wasn't sure of the answer, she wasn't sure of anything, but figured it would be in her best interest to answer the brunette's questions, "She was talking to Mr. Dennison…I thought something was wrong…and he yelled at her and told her to run…said everyone else would have to run more if she didn't. Luann…what's wrong with her?"

Luann tried to control her anger. She could have lost her sister just because of some jerkwad on a power trip. She glanced at Lilly, noting the concern on the blonde's face. Maybe she did really care about Miley, but that didn't mean Luann had to like it. She tried to think of what to say to the blonde when the door opened again and Susan Stewart walked in. Luann actually felt relief at seeing the woman and cursed herself.

"Lilly, Luann, what happened?" Susan asked, rushing over to where the girls were. She'd gotten a phone call from the school nurse that Miley had passed out in class. She'd called Robbie at work and rushed over here as fast as she could. Susan couldn't remember ever being so scared.

Lilly hugged her immediately and recounted her story a second time. She could tell her daughter was shaken up. Susan moved towards the twins, putting a hand on Luann's shoulder. The brunette looked at her and for once the woman could see how vulnerable the girl was. Susan sat on the edge of the bed beside Luann, looking down at Miley. She brushed a hand across the girl's hair. Miley opened her eyes again.

"Hi honey, how are you feeling?" Susan asked softly.

"I'm fine," Miley said, though her voice sounded muffled through the mask still on her face. She couldn't remember ever feeling so embarrassed in her life. The whole school probably knew about her passing out during gym by now. She had fainted at her last school once, too, but she had made it to the nurse's office then and no one had seen. Her mother had not come to pick her up, then. She marveled at the fact that Susan was here.

Susan turned to the nurse who was nearby, "Is she doing alright? Can I take her home?"

"Yeah, I'd like to give her a few more minutes on the oxygen. Her heart just really couldn't cope with pumping that much more blood and it sounds like her lungs have some fluid in them. She should really see a doctor."

Susan sighed and turned back to Miley, "Yes, I know. I'm going to take her today, I don't care what it takes."

Lilly watched the interchange between the nurse and her mom. It sounded like Miley was really sick and neither her mom nor Luann seemed surprised. Now that she thought about, it explained a few things about the twins. Luann's crazy over protectiveness, Miley not being allowed to do anything; it all made sense now. She just didn't understand why Miley hadn't told her. She'd thought they were friends at least, if not possibly headed for more.

The door opened again and when Lilly turned, she saw Mr. Dennison enter the nurse's office. She felt her own anger flare. She'd heard Miley telling him she couldn't run, yet he'd forced her and now she was lying there.

"I came to check on the girl. How's she doing?" he asked, almost timidly.

Luann shot up off the bed and was probably just about to insult or punch a teacher, when Susan stood as well. She gave Luann a stern look, "Luann, sit down."

The brunette complied surprisingly, and Susan marched up to the man still standing near the doorway. He looked at her in confusion.

"You're Miley's gym teacher?"

"Yeah…" he said, confused.

Susan got closer to him, "Do you wanna explain to me how this happened?"

"And who are you?"

She scoffed, "I'm her foster mother and I'm responsible for her well-being. Now can you tell me why you put that in jeopardy?"

Mr. Dennison hesitated. He knew he'd screwed up; he'd been terrified the entire way from the gym to the nurse's station. He'd never meant for a student to get hurt, but teenagers had a tendency to lie to get out of gym class. "Look, ma'am, I didn't know she had a prior condition; there was no doctor's note or anything. I require all my students to participate in class unless excused by a doctor."

"So, she didn't tell you that she is not supposed to run, that she's sick?"

"Yes, but a lot of them do. Teenagers lie, ma'am," he defended himself.

"Does it look like she was lying?" Susan asked, voice rising. She was angry. Partially with him and partially with herself; she and Robbie had promised to take good care of the girls and here they were. When Mr. Dennison didn't respond, she got up even closer to him, pointing a finger in his face, "If I even hear as much as a whisper of you messing up again, I am going to the school board. Don't think I won't."

She turned away from the large man, who almost seemed dumbstruck. She motioned at Lilly and Luann, who were still crowded around Miley, "Alright, Lilly, Luann, back to class."

Luann stood, "Whoa, I gotta go with Miley. She needs me."

Susan suppressed a sigh, trying to be patient with the girl, "Luann, I know you're worried about your sister, but I'm gonna make sure she's taken care of, okay? I need you to go back to class."

"But…" Luann trailed off, looking lost. She couldn't just leave Miley; they were never separated.

"Luann, you have to trust me, okay? I'm going to take care of Miley. I'm going to have her see a doctor. And you'll see her when we get home," Susan said, trying to appease the older brunette.

Luann frowned, not wanting to listen. She felt Miley squeeze her hand and looked at her sister. Miley pushed the mask aside and met Luann's stubborn eyes.

"Luann, just go. I'm fine," Miley said weakly. She still felt a little dizzy and her chest ached, but she didn't want Luann to keep worrying over her.

"Miley," Luann sighed.

"Lu…" the younger brunette said, the look on her face not one to be argued with.

Luann rolled her eyes, "Fine. But I'm not going to be paying attention in a single class, you know that, right?"

Miley smiled softly and held out her arms. Luann bent down and hugged her. She pulled away and glanced at Lilly who still stood next to her. She could read the expression on the blonde's face and though she didn't know what possessed her, Luann turned and walked away without a word. Lilly looked after her in surprise and turned back to Miley. She took the brunette's hand and gave it a squeeze. Even if she was still kind of hurt Miley hadn't told her, she didn't want to see her in pain.

"I'll see you later, Miles," she said softly, even managing a smile for the brunette. Miley smiled back shyly and Lilly left, following Luann out the door.

* * *

The clock on the wall was ticking, the seconds ebbing away with an agonizing slowness. It was surprisingly quiet inside the house; the two younger girls playing outside and the boys probably out trying to find dates. Luann was tapping her foot nervously and Lilly was frowning at her. They sat on opposite sides of the kitchen table, throwing each other an occasional glare, but otherwise just watching the driveway through the window.

"Do you think you could stop that? It's making **me** anxious," Lilly said, looking at the annoying brunette. She'd broken the silence first, but she didn't care; sitting in silence just allowed her thoughts free reign and she didn't like that.

Luann glared back, "Not my problem."

She watched the blonde for several moments, before turning her head back towards the window. She didn't know what Miley saw in the girl; sure, she was cute enough, but her attitude was wholly obnoxious. Miley had told her Lilly was 'sweet', but Luann had yet to see it. Then again, she reluctantly reminded herself, Lilly had stayed with Miley at the nurse's office and tried to take care of her in class. Not that it was enough to make her like the blonde.

They fell back into silence and Lilly thought about everything that had happened, again. She knew now Miley was sick, though no one had yet mentioned specifics. Maybe if they'd deemed her worthy enough to know, she could've prevented this incident from even happening in the first place. She had asked Miley what was going on, about her and Luann's weird relationship, about some of the things that didn't make sense and the brunette had said nothing. Or hardly anything. Miley had basically lied to her. She frowned.

Luann watched the emotions on the blonde's face and narrowed her eyes. "Hey, don't you make her feel bad for this."

Lilly looked up, startled, "What?"

"I saw the look on your face, I can tell you're mad she didn't tell you. Well, don't be. 'Cause it's none of your damn business, anyway."

Lilly raised an eyebrow, feeling angry at the brunette's rude words, "What the hell, Luann? I care about Miley, too."

"You don't even know Miley, Blondie."

"We have a connection."

Luann scoffed, "Yeah, such a connection she didn't even tell you she was sick. Way to go."

Lilly gritted her teeth, "Screw you, Luann."

"Bite me."

They were silent again, the only sound the ticking of the clock. It was getting late now and both girls were starting to worry. What if Miley was sicker than they'd thought? What if something horrible had happened? Luann frowned and tried to banish those thoughts; Miley was finally going to get the medical care she needed and she'd be fine. She looked at the blonde again and broke the silence.

"Lilly," she said, her voice serious. The blonde looked up in shock, never having heard Luann using her name before. "I'm serious. Don't you dare make her feel guilty for not telling you. If you really care about my sister you don't get to be mad over petty shit."

Lilly wanted to say something in response, maybe tell the other girl off, but instead she just nodded silently. In a way Luann was right. She really liked Miley and though it kind of hurt that the other girl didn't tell her about this, there probably was a good reason. And making Miley upset after everything would only serve to make Luann hate her even more. She'd never get a chance of being with Miley, then.

They were both looking at each other, neither girl moving a muscle. A car pulled into the driveway and they hesitated for only a second, before both were up and at the door.

* * *

Lilly looked down at her hands. She felt uncomfortable and she couldn't explain why. Before this she would've jumped at the chance to be alone in a room with Miley and here she didn't know what to do or say. Miley was curled up into herself on the sofa, alone, looking defeated. Lilly sat in the loveseat, farthest away. Luann had gone upstairs to shower and her mom and dad were in the kitchen, making dinner. She heard Miley sigh and looked up. Her heart did a flip seeing the brunette's face, but she looked so sad it almost hurt Lilly to see. What was wrong with her all of a sudden? Was she scared because Miley was sick?

Lilly shook her head, berating herself. They'd all talked a bit about what was going on when Miley and her mother had gotten home, but Lilly had been too nervous to really listen. But she knew she was just being silly. The blonde stood and made her way over to the sofa, sitting next to Miley tentatively.

"Hi," she said softly as she looked at the brunette. Miley glanced at her then looked down.

"You hate me now, don't you?"

Lilly blinked, too stunned at the words for an immediate response. "Why would you say that?"

Miley met her eyes and shrugged, "I don't know…every time someone gets close to me they just…maybe they can't deal with me being sick…I think it scares them."

Lilly swallowed. Hadn't she just felt like that two minutes ago? But she hadn't run away, she'd come to Miley instead and to her that meant something, "It is kind of scary…when you passed out, I was terrified, Miley."

"I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you…I just…I liked the way you made me feel…like I was normal…I didn't wanna lose that if you knew."

"You didn't think I'd ever find out?"

Miley smiled ruefully, "I dunno…I guess I didn't think that far ahead…it was just nice for once…I'm sorry for misleading you…"

Lilly reached over and took the brunette's hand, intertwining their fingers. She waited until Miley met her eyes, "Hey, I might've been scared today and maybe a little mad you didn't tell me, but there's no way that's going to make me act any different. I…I really like you, Miley."

The brunette stared at her, dumbstruck, "Really?"

Laughing, the blonde nudged her shoulder, "Yeah…I mean…unless you don't want me to." Her voice wavered a little at the end. Had she misread Miley's signs? Had she misunderstood her words?

"No! I…really like you, too, Lilly," Miley said and blushed, turning her head.

Lilly grinned, "I still think you're cute when you're blushing."

Miley turned slightly so she was facing the blonde and pulled her hand away, "Thanks for making me feel better…do you uh…can I hug you?"

Without hesitation Lilly opened her arms and pulled the brunette into a hug. Miley fit so perfectly against her body Lilly thought it had to be a sign. She could feel Miley's heart beat against her chest and it didn't feel like the broken thing everyone said it was. Miley squeezed her tightly for several seconds, before they both pulled away, smiling. Lilly once again felt the urge to kiss the brunette, but reigned in her emotions. There were way too many people around and Lilly wanted their first kiss to be special. She wanted everything to be special. She wanted to make Miley happy.

Susan entered the living room, noticing how close the girls were sitting and the dopey smiles on their faces, and couldn't help but smile herself. She remembered young love well and it was something seeing it develop. She just hoped things wouldn't end badly. Susan purposefully stepped on the creaky floorboard everyone normally avoided and the girls spun around to look at her, faces red.

"Girls, dinner's almost ready. Miley, we're gonna talk about your meds before bed, okay?" Susan went back into the kitchen and Miley sighed.

Lilly looked at her, "Did the doctor give you a lot of meds to take?"

Miley nodded slowly. She still wasn't wholly comfortable talking about everything with someone other than Luann, but she had to admit it was nice having an adult take care of everything for once. Luann had tried to take care of her, but it wasn't always possible for two underage kids to get prescriptions or doctor's appointments or even understand what everything meant. "Yeah, like four different types, I think. I can't start them all at the same time so I have to go back next week. And she gave me a shot of antibiotics. In the butt. It hurts so bad I can hardly walk on it."

Lilly laughed, but stopped herself. She didn't want to seem callous, but when she saw Miley make a face at her, she grinned. "Why in the butt?"

The brunette shrugged, "To make it hurt the most? I have to have it every month for the rest of my life. My butt is always gonna be sore."

"Why for the rest of your life?"

Miley sighed; she hated talking about her illness, but she figured Lilly had been more than patient with her. "When I was little, like four or five, I had rheumatic fever. Sometimes you can get it if you have strep throat and don't get treated for it. My mom never really believed in doctors, I guess. Rheumatic fever can cause heart damage. And if you don't keep taking antibiotics, you can get rheumatic fever multiple times. I had it three times, I think, and it messed up my heart. The doctor said I was lucky I hadn't gotten it again, but now I have to go and get a shot every month."

Lilly didn't know what to think. She'd just figured Miley had been born with a bad heart, not that her mom's neglect had done this to her. It made her sad and she didn't really want that. She wanted Miley to get better, now. Lilly took the brunette's hand in hers again, "Well, if it's gonna keep you here with me, I'm all for monthly shots in the butt. If it gets too bad, I could always massage it for you."

She realized what she'd said and blushed, though it was no match for how red Miley's face was. They were still holding hands and looking at each other nervously, then grinned. The bottom step of the stairwell creaked and a voice interrupted them.

"O-kay, how about you step away from my sister now. And if I see your hands anywhere near her butt, you lose them. Understood?"

Both their heads turned to see Luann standing at the bottom of the steps, arms crossed. When they didn't move she raised an eyebrow and Lilly stood up, nervously wiping her hands on her pants. Miley turned her head to hide the grin on her face as Lilly walked away. Luann stood before her, looking down at her sister with an exasperated expression. The older girl had heard most of the end of the conversation, so she'd at least known why Lilly had offered what she did. Otherwise, Luann probably would have ripped her hands off already.

She really wanted to be angry, with both of them, but the silly smile on her sister's face made it kind of hard. Luann didn't want to take away what little happiness Miley had found. She sighed heavily. It was hard being the oldest.

"Come on, Miles, let's go eat."

Miley followed her sister to the dining room, only limping slightly from the ache in her butt. Just the thought of Lilly following through with her words had made the pain feel less intense. Miley smiled.


	7. Weight of the World

I think this is starting to get long; I hope no one's bored, yet. I cannot for the life of me manage to keep my scenes short, so I really hope you're all still enjoying this. So here it is, an early update, for all my lovely reviewers...

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**Chapter 7 – Weight of the World**

"Who was known as the 'Birdman of Alcatraz'?"

Lilly scoffed, glaring at her dad incredulously, "Seriously, who **knows** this stuff?"

She grumbled and turned to look at her teammate. Miley gave her a sheepish look, "Robert Stroud?"

Robbie Ray groaned, "Doggone it, that girl's got it right again. Lilly, I think you're cheating."

He threw the little pie piece to Lilly, who gleefully added it to their already abundant collection. She grinned and shrugged, looking at her dad, "You're just jealous I picked the smartest person in this house to be on my team."

Miley looked down, blushing, "I just happen to have read the book about him; I'm not that smart."

"Right," Susan, Robbie and Lilly said almost simultaneously and burst out laughing. Miley looked at them and grinned. Lilly and she did have five pie pieces compared to Susan and Robbie's two.

Luann heaved a sigh and glanced at the clock again. It was sickening, watching them acting so…she couldn't even think of a word. She could tell Miley was loving it; having people to talk to, that clearly cared about her, that sat down just to spend time with her. Luann didn't begrudge her that; she just worried about what was going to happen when they went back to their mother. In nearly sixteen years of life Luann could not remember their mother ever sitting down to play a game with them.

The doorbell rang and Luann shot up off her seat. She was almost out of the room, when Robbie stopped her.

"Luann," he called out and she turned around, barely suppressing a groan, "you bring him inside first. I wanna meet this boy before you go out with him."

She clenched her teeth, "Oliver and I have been together for seven months; I think if he was trying to kill me he would've done so by now."

"That's great, but we still want to meet him. Your mom might have not cared who you're dating, but this is our house and our rules. So, bring him inside before he freezes to death outside," Robbie said matter-of-factly.

Luann rolled her eyes and left the room. Miley tried not to grin at the look on her sister's face. Maybe it was wrong of her, but she hoped Robbie and Susan heaped just half the amount of annoyance on Luann about her relationship as Luann did to Miley about her non-relationship with Lilly. It was several minutes, in which Susan and Robbie got another three questions wrong, before Luann returned. Behind her was a shaggy-haired boy of medium height, who looked incredibly nervous.

Miley got up to hug him, "Hey, Ollie."

He returned her hug and looked at everyone else, smiling sheepishly, "Hi, I'm Oliver."

Robbie stood and shook the boy's hand, motioning for him to sit on the sofa. Luann groaned and sat next to him. She could see Miley grinning from the corner of her eyes and vowed to get back at her sister later.

"So, Oliver," Robbie started, trying to sound intimidating. He'd never really had to do this before; Lilly had brought home a few girlfriends, but it just wasn't the same as scaring the crap out of a teenage boy. "How long have you and Luann been datin'?"

Oliver glanced nervously at Luann, but the look on her face said for him to just hurry this up, "Uh…about seven months…sir."

"You got your license?"

"Y-yeah…for about 6 months. I'm a very safe driver," Oliver said, wishing he could get out of there. He'd only met Luann's mom once the entire time they'd been dating and here these people were interrogating him after having her there for two weeks.

"That's good to know, son."

Susan tried not to laugh, at her husband or at the terrified look on the boy's face. She could tell Lilly felt the same next to her and nudged her slightly. "Where are you gonna go tonight?" Susan asked.

"Oh I…uh…I thought maybe dinner…a-and a movie…i-if that's okay."

Susan smiled and decided to take pity on him, "Alright, just have her home by curfew."

"Curfew?" Luann said incredulously.

"10:30, on the dot. Son, if she's late, I'm holding **you** accountable," Robbie said seriously, pointing a finger at Oliver.

"Oh no, sir, I'll have her home on time," Oliver said. Before anyone else could add anything, Luann had already grabbed his hand and was dragging him out the door. She did not want to sit there another second with those people interrogating her boyfriend.

When they heard the front door slam shut, Susan turned to her husband, "Robbie Ray, I swear…that poor boy."

"Oh, come on, Susan, you gotta put some fear into those teenagers. You can betcha she's gonna be home on time," Robbie said, smiling.

Susan shook her head, while Miley and Lilly looked at each other. The same thought was running through both their heads – what would he do if they ever went on a date, together?

* * *

Lilly looked down at the brunette stretched out on her bed, a ball of nervous energy assembling in her stomach. She sat on her bed, legs crossed, with her back to the wall so she could see the TV on the dresser set against the opposite side. Miley was lying on her back, head turned as they watched the movie. It was a twin size bed and as a result Miley's left arm was touching Lilly's legs where she sat. The bedroom door was closed, Luann was out on a date and the parents were watching some boring nature documentary with the younger girls downstairs. There couldn't have been a more perfect situation for her to get closer to Miley and Lilly was freaking out inside.

Miley laughed at something on screen and the blonde looked up, realizing she had hardly been paying attention. She had suggested watching a scary movie, really just a ruse to make Miley want to get closer to her, but the brunette had begged her to watch something else. Now they were watching 'Finding Nemo', and though Lilly loved the movie, it wasn't exactly romantic material. She heaved a sigh.

Miley turned to look at her, brows furrowed, "What's wrong?"

"Oh uh…nothing…I'm just thinking," Lilly said, berating herself for sighing out loud.

"What about?"

Lilly hesitated, not knowing what to say. She stared into Miley's blue eyes and felt her mind wander again. They were mesmerizing. She cleared her throat, "You."

Miley blushed, but didn't look away. She smiled at Lilly and reached out her left hand to take the blonde's. She intertwined their fingers and turned her head back to the movie. The ball of nervous energy in Lilly's stomach grew. They'd held hands a few times; at the movies, the one time in the living room, a few times out at the barn and one time right under Luann's nose while they'd been sharing a blanket. Lilly had been terrified then and it sort of felt like that now. She closed her eyes and listened to the thrumming of her heart. She had to do **something** and she had to do it now. Lilly bit her lip and spoke before she could change her mind.

"Hey Miles, turn on your side, I don't have any space to lie down," she said, voice sounding surprisingly normal.

Miley threw her a look, but turned onto her right side nevertheless. Lilly took a deep breath and moved down the bed until she was lying right beside the brunette. Her heart was thundering and she hesitated. She nearly scoffed at her cowardice. Lilly slid closer until she was pressed up against Miley's back and wrapped her left arm around the brunette's middle. Blood rushed in her ears, making her think she might pass out. She felt Miley stiffen against her and raised her head.

"Miley?"

The brunette swallowed. Her head was spinning so much she didn't even remember her own name, "Y-yeah?"

"Are you…am I…making you uncomfortable?" Lilly asked softly.

Miley let out the breath she'd been holding and forced herself to relax. Her heart was hammering and the familiar army of butterflies was stampeding through her insides. She took a deep breath and turned around to face Lilly. The blonde's arm never left her waist. They were almost face to face now, with Miley's head just a few inches below Lilly's, and their bodies so close they could feel the heat radiating off each other. Miley looked up to meet Lilly's eyes.

"I think…I've never been more comfortable in my life," the brunette half-whispered and Lilly grinned.

Lilly moved her hand from Miley's waist to her back and pulled the other girl tighter against her. The brunette's arms were trapped in between them, fists curled under Miley's chin. Lilly felt so warm and so soft against her body and Miley wanted nothing more than to get even closer to the blonde. She moved her head into the crook of Lilly's neck, resting her face against her shoulder. Lilly freed her right arm from underneath her and wrapped it around Miley as well. Somehow their legs ended up being intertwined and they could not have gotten any closer if they tried. Lilly's heart was soaring; she had never felt anything so amazing as having the brunette in her arms. Miley's heart was slowing its racing rhythm, letting her relax into the warm embrace that brought more comfort to her than anything ever had.

"Lilly?" Miley said softly. Lilly rested her cheek against the top of Miley's head.

"Yeah?" the blonde said, voice barely a whisper. She did not want to disturb this.

Miley sighed contently, "Let's not move **ever**."

Lilly grinned, "Or at least until your sister gets home."

The brunette chuckled against her. Miley closed her eyes, feeling all the stress and pain and worries ebb away. All there was left was warmth and happiness and drowsiness. Lilly noticed after several minutes Miley was asleep. Asleep in her arms. Lilly's stomach did a weird flip at the thought and she smiled. She vowed to stay awake, so as not to miss a single second of this feeling. She was asleep a few minutes later.

* * *

Luann opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible. Though she'd surprisingly made it back by curfew, it was still late enough for everyone in the house to be in their beds. Although, Robbie had been downstairs, 'making a snack', when she'd come in, but Luann figured he'd really been waiting for her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

The door opened quietly and she entered the near dark room. A small amount of light was coming from the TV, where the DVD menu was playing on loop. She moved to turn it off, not sure how anyone could sleep through the annoying music, when she saw them. Even in the darkness Luann had no problems seeing the position her sister and Lilly were in. Miley was wrapped up in Lilly's arms, her head against the blonde's chest. They were way too close and sleeping and in Lilly's bed and Luann had to take a deep breath just to keep herself from screaming.

She went up to the bed and grabbed Miley's shoulder, shaking her slightly and pulling her until she was almost on her back. Luann didn't even care if she woke Lilly, too; she'd give that horny blonde a piece of her mind.

Miley blinked her eyes open and started when she saw her sister above her. Even in the near darkness, she could tell Luann was furious.

"Miley, go to bed **now**," Luann ground out and pointed at the bunks to the right.

The younger girl was too terrified to even move. She couldn't believe they had gotten caught. She'd never meant to fall asleep, but she had been so comfortable and warm in Lilly's arms. Miley glanced at the blonde, who was still sleeping peacefully.

"Miley, I said **now**," Luann said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Miley extricated herself from Lilly's warm embrace and got off the bed. She walked the few steps to the bunk bed, Luann's eyes following her every move. Miley stood in front of the beds and turned to face her sister.

"Luann…" She wanted to explain or make her sister understand.

Luann walked past Miley to the ladder attached to the end, "I have nothing to say to you right now."

Miley sat heavily on the bottom bunk, while Luann climbed up top. Luann got under the covers and stared at the ceiling with a heavy heart. She thought she heard Miley sniffling from underneath her and it made her heart ache. Miley had looked happy when Luann had pulled her away; why was she trying to ruin that for her sister? On the other hand, Miley had ignored every warning Luann had issued and gone straight into Lilly's bed as soon as her sister had left. She had been the one to comfort her sister their entire lives, why was Miley willing to just throw that away for some girl they'd known less than a month?

Part of her wanted to climb down and let Miley know it was okay, while the other part wanted to leave her alone so she'd know this was serious. She was torn. Luann turned onto her side and closed her eyes, trying to block out all sounds.


	8. A Simple Thing

I had to take a study break and decided to update...it's just a short one, though. Thanks to all my reviewers, I'm glad you're still reading and enjoying this!

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**Chapter 8 – A Simple Thing**

Lilly descended the stairs slowly, one at a time, almost dreading reaching the bottom. She didn't know why she was this nervous. She took a deep breath and walked down the last few stairs. She stood at the bottom of the stairs, playing with her hands nervously as she looked at her parents sitting in the living room. They noticed her standing there after a few minutes and Robbie muted the TV, looking at her expectantly.

"What's wrong, Lilly?" Susan asked.

Lilly sighed and walked towards them, taking a tentative seat in the recliner. They both sat on the sofa to her right, looking at her curiously. She met their eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mom, Dad, I wanted to talk to you."

The two adults glanced at each other, slightly worried. Lilly sounded rather serious.

"Sure, honey, you know you can talk to us about anything," Susan said, though internally she was hoping it was nothing horrible. At least they knew Lilly wasn't about to tell them she was pregnant.

Lilly looked down at her hands and back at her parents. She didn't know how they would react. "I uh…I really want to take out Miley. On a date," she added the last part hastily, just to make sure they knew her real intentions. They stared at her for a few seconds and she looked down.

"You want to date Miley?" Robbie asked, incredulously. Susan had mentioned to him that she'd seen the girls getting closer, but he hadn't expected Lilly to come right out and say it.

"Yeah."

"Miley? Your foster sister?"

Lilly grimaced, "Yeah, well…when you say it like that it sounds a lot worse."

Robbie sighed, "Lilly."

She met his eyes, "No, dad, I'm serious. I really like Miley and I want to take her on a date."

"How does Miley feel about this?" Susan asked, sensing Lilly was about to get upset. She was as surprised as Robbie to have Lilly sitting in front of them and asking them for this. She'd expected her daughter to just continue to make puppy dog eyes at Miley without ever saying anything.

Lilly blushed, "I uh…I don't know. I mean…I'm pretty sure she likes me, too."

"So you haven't asked her out, yet?"

Lilly shook her head, "I didn't wanna ask her out and then have you guys say 'no'."

Susan turned to her husband, giving him a questioning look. He shrugged, giving her a similar look, before turning to his daughter, "Lilly, if it's something that both of you really want, then we wouldn't dare to say 'no'. We don't want you to have to sneak around or be scared or be ashamed if you really like each other."

Lilly grinned, feeling a huge weight lift off her chest. She was about to get up, when her father stopped her.

"However," he started and the smile fell from her face, "if you and Miley date and it doesn't work out, things here are not going to change. We are still a family and everyone will be treated with love and respect, regardless of what your relationship might have been. Do you understand that?"

She nodded, hoping that was the end of his speech. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about those things herself. Whether she could live under one roof with Miley if they split up, for whatever reason. But she had figured that even a Miley that was her ex would be more pleasant than regular Luann any day. Instead of Robbie, it was Susan who continued.

"There will also have to be some rules. You remember the dating rules we gave you a few years ago and those still apply. However, in this case, there will have to be a few others. Most importantly, you two cannot be sharing a room if you are dating."

Lilly suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Her parents were being great considering the circumstances and she could sort of understand where they were coming from. But in a way she felt like they were jinxing it with all their talk of rules and what-ifs.

"Mo-om, I haven't even asked her out, yet!" Lilly whined, though trying to keep her voice low. Miley was upstairs helping Luann with her homework and the last thing she wanted was for either of them to hear her.

Susan managed a small smile at her daughter's words, but she wanted Lilly to understand they were serious. If the girls dated and things went bad, they couldn't afford to have it ruin their home life, their family. Miley and Luann especially didn't need another poorly functioning family unit.

"Alright, honey, you go ask her out then and when she says 'yes', we'll talk about the rules," Susan said, smiling.

Lilly grinned and nodded and was almost at the stairs, when she turned around and went to hug her parents. She practically raced up the staircase, though slowed herself at the top. There was no reason to burst into her room all happy and making Luann suspicious. Thinking of the older brunette made her frown. She knew she'd have to talk to Luann, as well, but right now all she wanted to do was go ask Miley on a date. Sighing, she entered her bedroom.

* * *

"Where's Miley?"

Luann looked up from her books, raising an eyebrow at the blonde now standing in the doorway. She really was not in the mood to deal with her; in all reality, she really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone. Miley had been helping her with homework, but was acting so hurt and short with her, it put Luann on edge. Lilly's presence was definitely not going to help.

"Why, did you want to get her in your bed again?" Luann asked, tone neutral.

Lilly gaped at her. She had almost figured Luann had seen them when Miley looked anything but happy this morning, but had written it off as something else. Surely, Lilly had thought, if Luann had found her in a compromising situation with her sister, she would not be alive.

"Didn't think I knew about that, huh?" Luann continued, obviously enjoying Lilly's discomfort.

The blonde suppressed whatever angry retort had come to mind; she couldn't afford Luann's anger if she wanted to take out Miley. "Look, Luann, we did nothing wrong."

Luann scoffed, "Your grubby paws were all over my sister."

"We were cuddling, that's **it**. It was harmless! What's the big deal?"

"It's not harmless and it **is** a big deal."

Lilly rolled her eyes, "Please, I bet you and your boyfriend did far worse last night and you don't see Miley getting in your face about it."

"It's different."

"How?! 'Cause we're both girls? Does Miley know you have a problem with her sexual orientation?" Lilly said, trying to keep her voice quiet. She didn't need her parents butting in on this conversation.

Luann rolled her eyes and got off the bed, standing in front of Lilly, "Because you are going to hurt her and I'll have to pick up the pieces."

Lilly stared at the taller brunette for a few moments, speechless. How could Luann already think the worst of her when she didn't even know her? The blonde shook her head, "I can't believe you."

Luann crossed her arms and merely gave her a look. Lilly continued, anger now showing through her voice, "I cannot believe you're standing here accusing me of **possibly** hurting Miley in the unknown future, when you're **already** hurting her in the here and now!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Blondie? I love my sister and I would never hurt her," Luann said, teeth clenched.

"Wake up, Luann! Your crazy over protectiveness is hurting Miley more than I ever could! You don't even notice, every time you glare at her if we're too close, or physically keeping her from me, the way her face falls and her eyes get all sad. You made her **cry** last night; I saw her eyes this morning. Don't you dare tell me I'll hurt her, when you're doing such a great job at it yourself."

For a moment Lilly thought Luann was going to punch her, but the brunette simply moved closer. Luann's eyes were burning into her own, but Lilly held her ground. Luann wanted nothing more than to punch the annoying blonde, but some part of her was holding back. Unfortunately, everything Lilly had been saying was the truth and Luann knew it, too. She knew she was making her sister miserable, the last thing she had ever wanted. She'd taken care of Miley, always; she'd sacrificed for her and protected her. But she knew there were some things she couldn't protect her little sister from, no matter how hard she fought. She clenched her teeth.

When Luann didn't say anything, Lilly took a deep breath, voice calmer now, "I know you love your sister, Luann, and you want to protect her. But I really like Miley and she likes me back and there is nothing you can do about that. You're only pushing her away."

Luann averted her eyes. She knew Miley would always be there for her, but she could tell her sister was starting to resent her at times. Luann did not want that. She'd only ever wanted Miley to be happy. Why was everything so difficult now?

"Look," Lilly said, voice surprisingly steady considering what she was about to say, "I am going to ask Miley on a date. I don't want her to have to choose between the two of us."

Luann snapped her head back towards the blonde, glaring at her. Lilly did not flinch, nor did she avert her eyes. Luann clenched her jaw, hands itching to punch Lilly in the face, but her heart knew the blonde was right. And she hated it.

"If I hear you were not the nicest, sweetest, most respectful, most wonderful, most perfect date, you're dead. If your hands go anywhere they are not supposed to, you're dead. If your lips go anywhere near my sister, you're dead. If you hurt Miley, you're dead and I will bring you back to life just so I can kill you again. Understood?"

Lilly nodded solemnly, though she was trying hard not to grin. Luann had basically just given her permission to take her sister on a date. Now all she had to do was find Miley.


	9. A Wolf by Both Ears

I'm trying to update more frequently to keep my muse awake...so I hope y'all don't mind. ;) Thanks again to all my reviewers, you keep this story going. To **AThousandTimesMore - **I specifically did this to give Luann a reason for being so mean and use her 'evilness' for better ways, so thanks for noticing ;)

Now on with the show!

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**Chapter 9 – A Wolf by Both Ears**

Lilly bit her lower lip and squinted, eyes focused intently on the little blue ball at her feet. She swung her club, never breaking her concentration, and watched with bated breath as the ball rolled past some moving bowling pins towards the hole. The ball passed the hole, bounced off the border and rolled into a corner. She groaned.

Miley grinned at her side, "Ha! That's what you get for bragging."

Lilly made a face at her and went after her ball. She stood above it, again, concentrating intently, but stopped when she felt movement behind her. She turned to look at the brunette and her heart did a little flip. Miley was the most adorable, gorgeous, amazing girl she had ever laid eyes on and Lilly couldn't believe her luck. Miley's face was slightly red from the cold, though she wore multiple layers, per Luann's instructions, and her hair was slightly mussed from the wind, but Lilly felt her heart beat faster every time she looked at her.

"What are you doing, Miles?"

The brunette gave her an innocent look, "I'm watching you putt."

"Uh huh, sure. Over there missy," Lilly pointed to the other side of the green and Miley walked over, grinning.

Lilly bent back down, concentrating. She hit the ball and watched as it rolled towards its goal. It missed, again. Miley chuckled. Lilly gritted her teeth. She tried again, finally making it in the hole and looked up at the brunette, who seemed incredibly pleased with herself.

"Laugh it up, chuckles. I forget, who was it that took fifteen strokes at the crocodile?" Lilly said, a smirk on her face as they walked to the next hole.

Miley made a face and shook her head, "Crocodile…my nemesis."

Lilly laughed at the serious look on the brunette's face and hooked her free arm through Miley's. They hadn't been too touchy-feely as they were in public, but the few other people out playing mini-golf in this weather weren't paying them too much attention. Lilly had always liked Crowley Corners and its residents; for a small town they were surprisingly okay. They'd still chase out a strip club if one ever opened, but they normally didn't bother other Crowley residents too much. At least Lilly had never had any problems being seen in public with any of her past girlfriends.

The people in front of them finished and Miley set down her pink ball, ready to play. Lilly came up right behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. The brunette practically melted into her, but turned to face her.

"What are you doing?" Miley asked, enjoying the crazy tingling feeling she got every time Lilly touched her. She still couldn't believe Lilly had actually asked her on a date and even more shocking, that Luann had been okay with it. 'Okay' maybe wasn't the right word; her sister had been moping around all day and throwing them looks, but at least she hadn't stopped them.

"Handicapping you," Lilly grinned, pressing her face against Miley's hair. She couldn't believe the incredible way Miley smelled. Or the way she felt in her arms; like a perfect fit.

Miley laughed, "Why are you handicapping **me**? You're the one who's winning."

"Alright, alright," Lilly said, pulling away. They both immediately missed the warmth of the other's body. The blonde only moved a foot or so away, standing right next to the other girl. She watched Miley hit the ball and shriek as it rolled right back down the hill towards her. She hit it again with the same result. Lilly tried to control her laughter. Miley had to hit the ball three more times before it rolled into the trap in the middle of the hill and into the first hole that sent it through a tube onto the green by its side. The brunette turned to her and pouted.

"Did ya find a new nemesis, Miles?" Lilly laughed, setting up her own ball.

Miley stuck her tongue out at her, "Let's see you do any better, Lilly."

Lilly hit her ball and it went up the hill in a perfect curve to head into the trap and roll through the tube onto the green next to Miley's. She grinned at the brunette and motioned for her to putt. With a huff, Miley hit her ball, missing the hole completely.

"Don't putt in anger, Miley," Lilly said seriously, though she was having a hard time controlling her laughter. The brunette finally got her ball in after two more tries and walked back over to the blonde, a defeated look on her face.

"Aww, Miles, it's not so bad…you're doing fine. This was a hard hole and that crocodile really had it out for you," Lilly said, not wanting Miley to be upset over something as stupid as mini-golf on their date. Maybe she should have chosen something more traditional, like a movie, but she'd thought this would be more fun and give them more of a chance to talk.

Miley just looked at her with those puppy dog eyes and that pouty face and Lilly knew she would do anything for this girl. She would miss every shot from now on or fight that plaster crocodile single-handed if she had to. Lilly opened her arms, "Come here."

She'd use any excuse she could get to hug or touch Miley and Lilly grinned when the brunette walked into her embrace. Miley wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist, resting her head on her shoulder. She'd never felt safer or warmer anywhere in her life. They stood like that for several seconds, before Lilly realized she still hadn't putted and people were about to catch up with them.

"Feel better?" Miley nodded, but did not move.

"As much as I love having you in my arms, Miles, I gotta putt," Lilly said, removing her own arms from around the girl's shoulders.

She felt Miley shrug against her, "Go ahead, I'm not stopping you."

Lilly gaped at her, "Did you **trick** me?"

Miley laughed against her, her warm breath tickling Lilly's neck. She did not let go and Lilly gave up with a shake of her head. Miley was just too much and Lilly loved every second of it. She tried to grab her club with both hands, arms around Miley, though it was difficult. Lilly barely managed to hit her ball and it rolled into a corner. She nudged the brunette.

"I gotta move over there...are you gonna let go?"

"Wasn't planning on it, no," Miley said. She had no idea where this boldness in her was coming from, but she was enjoying it. She'd been on dates before, double dates with her sister, and Luann's constant disapproving stare had done little to make it a nice time. With Lilly, it was different. Not only did Miley actually really, truly like Lilly, but it was just the two of them and she could do as she pleased. And feeling Lilly's body against hers, even if several hundred layers separated them, pleased her immensely.

Lilly wrapped an arm around Miley and maneuvered them to the corner her ball was in. She did this five more times, one for each time she missed the hole, and Miley was laughing at her throughout. It wasn't until a young couple with two children came up to play the hole, waiting on them, that Miley reluctantly let go so Lilly could finish putting.

The blonde wrote down her number, grumbling, though trying to hide the silly grin wanting to escape. Miley glanced over her shoulder at the numbers and smiled.

"New nemesis, Lilly?" she asked innocently.

"Ha ha," Lilly said, throwing her a look.

They finished the last few holes without incident. Lilly tallied up the score and told Miley they'd tied, which the brunette knew was a definite lie. But she let it go with nothing more than a look, kind of liking the fact that Lilly was being all chivalrous. The blonde took her hand and intertwined their fingers. Miley looked at her and smiled.

"Are you having a good time so far?" Lilly asked softly.

"The best. What's next?" Miley said, excitement tingeing her voice.

Lilly pulled her along, "You'll see."

* * *

They stood on the porch, nervous. Nearly complete darkness surrounded them, though some light fell through the small glass panels in the front door. Lilly knew her parents were probably waiting up for them, and very likely Luann as well. She tried to banish that thought from her head; she was having too good of a time to ruin it. She fumbled with her hands in front of her and suddenly Miley's were clasping hers. Lilly met the brunette's eyes, breath catching in her throat. Miley was smiling.

"I had a really great time, Lilly. Thank you," Miley said softly and ducked her head. She had never been on a proper date like this, and didn't really know what to do. It had been so easy, earlier, playing mini-golf and at dinner, but now suddenly it seemed so hard.

"Thank you for saying 'yes'. I had a great time, too. Do you…do you think maybe you wanna do this again?" Lilly asked, sounding slightly unsure at the end.

Miley met her eyes again, smiling, "Yeah, I'd like that."

She looked down at their joined hands. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? They'd been close all night, hugging, holding hands, why was it different now? Lilly stepped much closer to her, so close their hands were practically trapped in between their bodies. Miley still didn't look up. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage and she wondered if Lilly could hear.

"Do you think Luann is watching us from the kitchen window?" Lilly asked softly.

Miley looked at her again, confused by the question. She shrugged, "Yeah, probably. Why?"

"I guess I'll take my chances," Lilly said and reached a hand up to cup Miley's cheek. The brunette's eyes went wide and heart jumped in her throat.

"Lilly?" she managed to croak out, voice shaky. The thundering of her heart was reverberating throughout her entire body, the rush of blood in her ears making her head spin. Lilly leaned closer, slowly enough to give her a chance to pull away. Miley closed her eyes and forgot to breathe.

When Lilly's lips made contact it was the single most overwhelming experience she had ever had. The tingles she'd gotten so used to washed over her a hundred times as strong, curling her toes and setting her whole body on fire. Her head was spinning, body thrumming from the shockwaves shooting down every nerve ending. The hand still in Lilly's clamped down and the other curled into the fabric of the blonde's sweatshirt, keeping her close. Lilly's hand was still on her cheek, the contact scorching her skin, but it was the most pleasant fire she had ever felt. Miley pushed her lips against Lilly's and opened her mouth slightly. When Lilly's tongue snaked into her mouth and brushed against her own, she suddenly felt weak.

Her heart skipped a beat. Lilly pulled away slowly, wrapping her arms around Miley's waist to hold her close. Lilly watched the brunette's reverent expression, eyes still closed, mouth slightly open and couldn't help but smile. That had probably been the best kiss of her entire life, even though it only lasted a few seconds, and she had a feeling Miley had felt the same things she had. Miley opened her eyes and smiled at Lilly.

"Wow," she breathed and Lilly chuckled.

"Yeah, wow. Come on, let's go inside," the blonde said and pulled away from Miley. She moved to open the front door, but hesitated and turned back to the brunette. Lilly kissed Miley again and grinned, before finally opening the door and pulling the brunette inside.

* * *

Lilly looked down at the brown hair spilled across her chest and smiled. Miley's head was on her shoulder, while her left arm and leg were draped across Lilly. Her breathing was deep and steady and she hadn't moved in a while, leading the blonde to believe the other girl was asleep. Lilly had been finishing up feeding the horses when Miley had joined her in the barn. They'd snuck up into the hayloft to make out. Lilly grinned at the thought. They'd only been on two dates so far, seeing as it was the middle of the school week, but since their first date last Friday they'd spent whatever time they could together. Lilly had never felt about anyone as she did about Miley.

The only real problem was Luann. Sure, the older brunette had grudgingly let them go on a date, but other than that she had been doing nothing but try to keep them apart and glaring at Lilly if she got too close to Miley. The blonde thought the talk they'd had would have changed things, but it didn't seem like it had made a huge impact. The only difference was, Luann was trying not to glare at Miley and was subtler about trying to separate them.

She thought she heard someone downstairs and shifted. Miley lifted her head and blinked sleepily at the blonde. Lilly smiled at her, a warm feeling spreading in her chest as she looked at the brunette. Even with her hair slightly messed up and a string of drool clinging to her chin she was the most beautiful girl Lilly had ever laid eyes on. She laughed as Miley wiped her sleeve across her mouth, an embarrassed look on her face.

"Oh man, did I drool on you?" Miley asked, pushing herself up slightly. She couldn't believe she'd fallen asleep on Lilly, in the middle of all this itchy hay no less. She just felt so comfortable and warm and safe when she was in Lilly's arms that she couldn't help it.

"Don't worry, I don't mind your drool," Lilly said, laughing and brushed her thumb across Miley's lips. "You are so damn adorable."

Lilly brought her hand to the back of the brunette's neck and pulled her closer. Their lips met, softly at first, but after a few seconds Lilly's tongue was brushing against Miley's lips. The brunette granted her access and leaned closer, pushing against Lilly as they kissed.

"Miley!" someone shouted from below the loft. They both jumped apart, breathing heavily and Miley threw Lilly a worried look. The blonde suppressed a sigh, sitting up.

"What?" Miley yelled back and sat as well, brushing some hay from her clothes.

"Get down here, Robbie and Susan wanna talk to us," Luann called back, looking up at the hayloft with a frown on her face. "And you better not be up there with Lilly!"

Miley frowned and Lilly rolled her eyes. She was really getting sick of Luann's disapproval. What was so horrible about her that the older brunette felt she was not worthy of dating her sister? Miley stood up and Lilly grabbed her hand, stopping her from climbing down. She smiled at the brunette and pecked her on the lips, before climbing down the ladder.

Luann crossed her arms as she saw the two of them coming down. She glared at Lilly, "What the hell were you doing up there with my sister?"

Miley stood next to them, looking between her sister and her girlfriend, wishing they would stop bickering. She'd known it was too good to be true when Luann hadn't said anything about their first date, but she'd been covertly rude to Lilly that entire weekend. Lilly had taken her out to dinner during the week, while Luann was stuck in detention and thus hadn't known until after. Luann had only slightly improved her attitude thus far.

Lilly looked at Luann, voice neutral as she spoke, "Oh, we were having hot lesbian sex."

"Lilly!" Miley gasped and stepped in front of the blonde as she saw her sister's murderous look.

"What? No matter what I tell her we did, she'll think the worst anyway, might as well save some time," Lilly said angrily.

"Miley, come with me," Luann said from behind clenched teeth. She'd been trying to let them be, for the most part, because she knew Lilly made Miley happy, for now anyway, but it was hard. The damn blonde just got on her nerves so much. Why couldn't Miley have dated a nice, innocent country girl? She grabbed her sister's arm and tugged.

Miley pulled her arm away, "Stop it, Luann. I can be with whomever I want and do what I want. Don't you get all holier-than-thou on me, I know for a fact you've slept with Oliver. Just leave me alone, both of you."

She walked away, leaving the two girls standing there, confused. Lilly had no idea how she'd gotten put into the 'evil' category and she glared at Luann. The brunette glared right back.

"Now you've done it, Blondie," Luann said, almost sounding smug.

"I didn't even **do** anything! I really hate you, you know," Lilly said, and followed Miley out of the stables and back to the house. Luann was right behind her, both with scowls on their faces.

They entered the kitchen and saw Miley sitting at the kitchen table, Robbie right next to her, while on the other sat the social worker who had brought them there. Both girls stopped, figuring whatever it was, it was not good. Susan, who stood leaning against the counter, noticed them first.

"Luann, why don't you sit down. Lilly, you should go finish your homework," Susan said, watching Luann reluctantly walk up to the table. She could tell something had happened, just from the look on Miley's face and the scowls the two other girls were wearing.

"I want Lilly to stay," Miley said softly, though without looking up from the table. Lilly was more than happy to oblige and moved to the empty seat next to her girlfriend. She could feel Luann glaring daggers at the back of her head, but the older brunette was surprisingly silent.

Loreen looked around at the other occupants of the room and when all eyes were on her, she started, "Look girls, I'm not here to take you away or anything, alright? I do have to check in periodically to see how you're doing and we've got some other stuff to talk about. Now, you've been here a month, is everything going alright so far?"

"Everything is great. Are we done now? Awesome," Luann said from where she stood by the table and moved as if to leave. Robbie stopped her with a hand on her arm.

Loreen, used to the girl's standoffish behavior, didn't blink. She made a note on the file before her and flipped pages. Her voice was more serious this time, "Now, I have to tell you, your mother was convicted of violating her probation and was sentenced to eight months in jail, however, they arranged a deal for her to plead guilty and dropped the child neglect charges. Girls, she has expressed a desire to see you, which is her right."

"Are you joking?" Luann's voice was quiet and calm, though everyone around her could tell she was about to explode. "That woman spends fifteen years not giving a shit about us, letting Miley get worse and worse, she gets off scott free and **now** she wants to see us? Fuck her!"

"Luann," Robbie sighed, though he couldn't exactly blame her for cursing this time. He, too, felt like he'd been punched in the gut. How could they let that woman off with nothing, when she had failed to feed her children, to provide Miley with proper medical care? His faith in the system was shattered.

"No, this means in eight months we'll have to go back to her…it'll be just like before…alcohol, drugs, no fucking food in the house and Miley getting sicker and sicker. What the fuck does it take? Does Miley have to **die** before you people give a shit?" Luann yelled, tears now spilling from her eyes.

"Shut up, Luann!" Lilly said, her voice a lot more controlled. She was holding Miley's hand under the table, but could tell her girlfriend was getting more and more upset. Tear tracks were visible on Miley's face, as well.

Loreen held up her hands, trying to calm everyone down, "Look, Luann, Miley, nothing is set in stone, yet, okay? A lot can happen in eight months. Your mother has said she is trying to change and she wanted to see you, but that is totally up to the two of you. You don't have to if you don't want to, okay?"

Miley wiped her sleeve across her eyes and looked up. She did not want to go back to their mother. She was happy here, she felt so much better here and she wasn't afraid here. But it was still her mom. She knew she loved her mom, though she could not explain why. Perhaps, this time, she really was going to change and try to be a decent mother. Would it be wrong of them to not even give her the chance?

"I wanna go see her," she said softly, though resolutely. Everyone turned to look at her, varying degrees of shock on their faces. Lilly gripped her hand tighter.

"What the hell, Miley?" Luann said, her voice suddenly a lot quieter. She could not believe her sister; had Miley not told her numerous times how much better it was here?

Miley turned to look at Luann, "It's our mom, Luann. We owe it to her."

Luann moved from her spot and walked up behind Miley, leaning down with one hand on the back of the chair and the other on the table. She looked right at her sister, "Miley, we owe her **nothing**. Nothing. She can rot in jail for all I care."

"Luann," Miley said, in that tone that always tugged at her heart. She knew Miley could very well go on her own, but there was no way Luann would sit back and leave her little sister to deal with that monster on her own. She did not want to, but she knew she would go.

Luann stood up and crossed her arms, "Fine, we'll go. I don't care when."

Silence fell over the room as everyone stared at the twins and with one last look at her sister, Luann turned and left the room. Miley did not get up, instead letting Lilly wrap her arms around her, pulling her close.


	10. Dead Air

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I'm trying to keep you all happy ;) I found it interesting how many of you thought Miley's absolutely crazy for wanting to see her mom and in a way, yah she is, but ultimately I just see her as a kid who desperately wants her mother's love. We don't just hurt the ones we love, we also love the ones that hurt us. But enough of my psycho analysis...here's the next part

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**Chapter 10 – Dead Air**

It was chilly inside. It wasn't horribly loud, just an annoying buzzing of dozens of voices talking at the same time. She did not want to be there. She shifted in her seat, the picnic table they were seated at not the most comfortable thing. Picking at the edge of her sleeve she chanced a glance at her sister next to her. Miley was more nervous than she was, she could tell.

A heavy door opened at the far wall and though she could not have heard the sound over the cacophony, Luann looked up. Their mother entered the room, dressed in a ghastly orange jumpsuit. The door closed behind her and she made her way over to their table, the officers in the room following her with their eyes. She wasn't even in handcuffs and it made her mad. Miley shifted nervously to her right and Loreen, who sat at the table across from them, was watching them carefully. Luann wanted to leave.

Brenda got to the table and smiled at the girls. Luann frowned. Her mother hugged her, though she did not respond and moved on to Miley. She hugged Miley, who actually returned it and then sat on the bench to their right. Luann figured she better keep an eye on her sister; Miley got pulled in to things way too easily and she got attached to everyone. Their mother looked at them as if seeing them for the first time and shook her head.

"I'm so glad you could come, I was a little worried you wouldn't…well," Brenda started, smile faltering slightly. Luann glared at her, but Miley was looking at her openly. Her daughters had always been so different from each other, yet inseparable. She looked at her youngest, noticing how much less pale and sickly the girl seemed, "Oh Miley, you look so **good**."

Luann sneered, "Yeah, amazing what taking her to the doctor and getting her medications can do, isn't **mom**?"

Brenda turned to her older daughter. Luann had been hostile with her for a long time and she knew she couldn't exactly blame her. Miley had always been the one to seek out her affection and love - something Brenda was unable to give her. Perhaps she shouldn't ever have become a parent, her and all the other morons in her parenting class at the jail. The DA had, as a condition of her plea bargain, ordered her to attend parenting classes. It would have been stupid of her to say 'no'; eight months in jail instead of a possible 15 years in prison sounded like a good deal to her. She knew she had failed her daughters, but Brenda did not think classes and forced sobriety were going to change that. Nevertheless, they were **her** daughters.

"Luann, I know you're angry with me and that's okay. But I want you two to know I'm turning my life around. No more drugs, no more alcohol." So she was lying, as was everyone else in this godforsaken place. There were more drugs to be had on the inside than outside. She wasn't going to give up drinking just because her daughters were feeling lonely. But part of her knew she should slow down after all and make an effort.

"That's great mom," Miley said and managed a weak smile.

Brenda looked back at her and returned the smile. Miley was such a good kid, really, getting good grades, never getting in trouble and being generally nice to everyone. Brenda had no idea how it had happened. Luann, on the other hand, reminded her a lot of herself – headstrong, hostile, easy to anger.

"Don't be nice to her, Miles, she's fucked up our lives," Luann said, hating how their mother was drawing her sister in. She could see the look on the woman's face, maybe part of it was sincere, but Luann didn't think their mother would ever care more about them than her own life. She was obviously making nice for the authorities.

"Luann, there's no cursing allowed in here," Loreen reminded her, for the third time. She was present in part because the court wanted to ensure Brenda was sincere about becoming a better parent and also because the girls were minors and as such not allowed in the jail without supervision.

Brenda turned to the woman, looking at her for the first time, "And who are you?" She knew the woman must be CPS, the way her beady little eyes kept watching her with her daughters. Brenda knew she probably would not have let Luann get away with smart-mouthing her if the woman hadn't been here. Well, that and if she hadn't been in jail.

"I'm the girls' social worker. Don't mind me, I'm just supervising."

Brenda nodded slowly, turning back to the girls, "So, where do they have you now? Group home?"

"Foster home," Miley said. She could feel Luann next to her tapping her foot incessantly. She wasn't sure, either, what to think of their mom, being so sincere and nice to them. But Miley wanted to believe that she loved them and maybe once and for all would change and become a real mom to them. She wanted her own mom to be like Susan and love her and be there for her and take care of her.

"That's gotta be rough. But don't you worry girls, I'm getting out of here in a few months and we're gonna start our lives over," Brenda said, trying not to sound angry. Some strangers were raising her daughters and she did not like it.

"Foster care is great mom," Luann fell in, voice low but somewhat condescending, "we actually get to eat and they took Miley to a doctor and no one gets high or drunk and passes out. Miley really likes it there, don't you Miles?"

Brenda looked at her younger daughter, knowing Miley would never say anything to purposefully hurt her, not like Luann. She figured her daughter was probably lying anyway; Luann had never liked foster care before.

Miley looked from her sister to her mom. She wished they would stop antagonizing each other, especially Luann who could never try to make nice with anyone. "It's not so bad," she said, settling for the truth in different words. It really wasn't so bad; it was the best place she had ever lived.

Luann shook her head, "Miley's just being shy. She **really** loves it; she even found herself a little girlfriend."

She felt Miley's hand clamp around her wrist as soon as the words left her mouth and Luann opened her mouth in shock. She could not believe she had just said that. Luann knew she'd been sort of mad at Miley for making her come, but she had never meant to do this. She looked over at her sister. Miley's jaw was clenched.

"What do you mean 'little girlfriend'?" Brenda asked.

"Nothing mom, Luann's just being a jerk, like always," Miley said, though her heart was hammering.

Brenda looked between them, unsatisfied with Miley's answer. The looks on their faces said everything. "Miley, are you telling me you're still dyking around? I thought we put a stop to that?"

Miley swallowed the lump in her throat. She remembered her mom 'putting a stop to that' pretty well. She wasn't the one to normally get in trouble at home, her mom mostly just ignored her, except for the time she'd found an LGBT student union flyer from school in Miley's backpack. Her mom had never beat her so bad in her life.

"Miley, I told you, I will not have a daughter of mine be a…a disgrace…an abomination," Brenda said, voice taking on a dangerous undertone. She turned to the social worker, "You're teaching my children it's okay to be homosexual…I want them removed from that home…I can't imagine what kind of people just let this…this obscenity go unpunished."

Luann watched her sister lower her head and sniffle. She was angry, with herself and her mom. She turned to the woman, "You can't be serious. Look around mom, you're in fucking jail and you're calling **her **a disgrace? Miley is the only one in this whole damn family who is ever going to amount to anything…just leave her alone. And for the records, those people have been better parents to us in one month than you in fifteen years."

She stood up, having had enough, "Come on, Miles, let's go…we don't need this shit."

Miley chanced one last glance at her mother, who looked partially angry and partially stunned, before following her sister. Loreen followed them without a word, obviously agreeing with their decision to leave. They collected their belongings from the lockers outside and left through several doors and a chain link fence. Loreen walked them back to the parking lot. No one spoke.

Susan saw them approach and immediately knew something had gone wrong. She put down her magazine and got out of the car. She'd wanted to go inside with the girls, but Loreen had thought it a bad idea and offered to take the girls instead. Susan had consented, but refused to let them come here by themselves. She knew now it had been the right decision.

Before they even reached the car Susan could tell Luann was furious and Miley was upset. Loreen came up to her with a heavy sigh and Susan just nodded at her. She wanted to focus on the girls and not paperwork. Whatever Loreen needed she could call next week. Miley reached her first and hesitantly stood next to the car, not looking at her. Her chin was quivering and Susan closed the space between them, wrapping the girl in a hug. Miley started crying in her arms, shocking Susan and she rubbed her hands across the girl's back, trying to calm her down.

Luann stood just to the right and behind her sister, biting her lower lip. This was all her fault. If she hadn't opened her big mouth trying to bait their mother she never would have let slip Miley was in a relationship with a girl. She'd known how homophobic their mother was and she'd still just blurted it out. She remembered coming home from detention to find Miley bruised and bloody after their mother had found out. She hadn't left her sister home alone after that.

Susan looked at the older girl, feeling her heart breaking at their situation. Tough, over protective Luann looked like she was ready to cry, too. Susan reached for her and pulled her into the hug, as well. Luann stiffened at first, but then wrapped her arms around Susan and her sister. She just wanted everything to be okay for once.

After a few moments Luann pulled away and Miley shortly after, wiping her eyes. Susan cupped both their cheeks and smiled, "Let's go home, girls. I'll get Robbie to make us all some Loco Hot Cocoa when we get home and we can watch a movie or play a game or something, alright?"

The twins got into the car and Susan pulled out of the parking lot, ready to get out of Nashville. They were silent the entire drive back.

* * *

"Miley." Nothing. The older brunette sighed.

"Miley…come on…I said I was sorry how many times?" Luann watched her sister and tried to keep her frustration in check. Miley continued to ignore her while she changed into her pajamas. Luann crossed her arms and leaned against the wall in front of the door.

"You know I didn't mean to…don't listen to anything mom says…you're fine just the way you are, Miles."

Suddenly a tiny, stuffed bear hit her in the face, stunning her into silence. She stared at her sister. Miley's brows were drawn together.

"I hate you, Luann."

"No, you don't."

Miley walked up to her sister and crossed her arms as well, "You've been an ass about Lilly and I. You **hate** my girlfriend for no real reason. Don't tell me you **accidentally** let that slip to mom."

Luann frowned and let her arms drop by her sides. "Miley…I didn't do it to hurt you…it just came out."

"If I'm fine just the way I am…then why aren't you okay with it?" Miley's voice was softer now, sounding unsure.

The older brunette leaned her head back. She had no answer for her sister. Suddenly the door opened, bumping the back of her head and Luann turned around. She stepped back enough to let it open and Lilly entered the doorway, looking at them in confusion.

Luann glared at her, the source of all her problems, "Don't you knock, Blondie?"

"It's my bedroom, Luann," Lilly bit back, hating the fact that she couldn't escape from the annoying brunette anywhere. She looked at her girlfriend instead. Miley seemed sad, again. "Hey Miles, you okay?"

Miley just nodded silently. Lilly pushed past Luann into the room to stand next to her girlfriend. She'd just come home from grabbing a bite to eat with Tyler and Jackson, when her mom had told her she should go find Miley. Lilly had figured then the visit with the twins' mom hadn't gone over so well.

Luann looked at them, feeling that irrational anger and jealousy again. She had always been the one to make her sister feel better, to be there for her when she was sad or hurt. Lilly was taking her place in Miley's life and she did not like it one bit. She turned to walk out of the room, but Miley's sad voice stopped her.

"Luann…"

The older brunette turned and sighed. No matter how angry she was, Luann just couldn't leave Miley thinking she hated her or didn't accept her. She couldn't stand seeing Miley sad. She walked back over to her sister and wrapped her in a hug.

"I love you, Miley…no matter what," she said softly in her sister's ear and walked out of the room.


	11. Cat and Mouse

I hope you're all enjoying the more frequent updates; my muse has been very cooperative lately. Maybe it's all the awesome feedback ;) Thanks everyone, especially those of you who faithfully review every chapter. You're my heroes ;)

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**Chapter 11 – Cat and Mouse**

"Come on, mom, hurry up!" Lilly urged her mother and nervously wrung her hands together. She glanced at the doorway to the kitchen and then back at the table. Robbie Ray was smirking at her from his seat at the table, while Jackson looked rather annoyed and the two younger girls seemed not to care.

Susan carefully lit the last of the candles, not letting Lilly rush her. She did think it was sort of cute how hard her daughter was trying to make this perfect. The last candle lit, Susan stood back and turned when she heard movement from the doorway. The twins stood, side-by-side, confusion written on their features. She smiled at them and Lilly practically beamed.

"Happy Birthday, girls!" Susan said cheerfully and everyone else fell in, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

The twins stared at them, shocked. Luann was first to speak, as always, "What?"

"Your birthday is today, isn't it?" Susan asked, unsure now. Sure, it had said so in their paperwork, but CPS wasn't always known for accuracy.

"Yeah…" Luann trailed off, looking at everyone sitting around the table. They were staring at the twins expectantly and the brunette realized they were probably waiting on them to eat.

Susan smiled and walked over to them, ushering them to the table, "Well, come on then, birthday girls…sit and eat some cake before school."

"Cake?" Miley asked, letting the woman basically push her towards the table. She stopped and looked to her side, at Lilly's smiling face. Her girlfriend wrapped her in a hug and kissed her cheek, despite Luann's presence.

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, Miley," Lilly said softly and let go of the brunette. They all sat at the table, and Susan pushed the cake in front of the twins so they could blow out the candles. They looked at each other and did as told. Susan cut the cake, while Robbie watched the girls.

"What's got you two lookin' so down on your birthday?" he asked, looking between them. "You don't like cake?"

Miley shook her head, "No, it's not that…we just haven't…no one's really cared about our birthday since…not since dad died."

Susan stopped in mid-cut, a horrified expression on her face, "Oh girls, I'm so sorry…If I had known…"

"No, Susan, this is really great. Thank you," she stood up and hugged her foster mother, who seemed incredibly relieved. "Mom just never remembered so Luann and I got used to just exchanging presents ourselves and that was it. This is nice."

Susan handed out cake to everyone and sat in her own chair. She motioned to her husband, "Well, we got you some presents as well."

"You got us presents?" Luan asked, disbelief tingeing her voice.

Robbie laughed as he handed the girls a few packages, "Well, wee doggies, we've finally shocked Luann!"

Miley grinned at the look on her sister's face and looked around the table. This was what it felt like to have a real family, she realized. Comfort and love, security and respect. She didn't know what she'd do if she ever lost it.

* * *

Miley leaned her head against the cool tile of the bathroom wall. She coughed and groaned, closing her eyes. Luann squatted down next to her and put a hand on her forehead. She drew back with a sigh.

"You don't feel hot or anything."

The younger girl didn't respond; coughing again until she gagged. She bent back over the toilet and threw up again, practically only dry heaving at this point. Luann grimaced and reached for the handle to flush the toilet. Miley sank back against the wall with a groan. Luann shook her head.

"I'm gonna go get Susan."

Miley's eyes shot open, "What? Why?"

"Uhh…look at you," Luann said and stood.

"No, Lu…you don't even like her." Miley didn't understand why her headstrong sister had fought tooth and nail against the Stewarts taking care of her, but now she was perfectly content going to them for help.

"Yeah, well…they're not so bad…and I don't know what's wrong with you."

"I probably just ate something bad…I'm fine…please don't pull her away," Miley said, voice pleading.

Luann looked at her funnily for a second, then squatted back down next to her. She put a hand on her sister's shoulder to get her to look at her, "Miles…she's not mom…she's not gonna hit you for bothering her…I'm gonna go get her."

She stood again and walked out of the bathroom, but stopped in the doorway and turned. She seemed to hesitate, looking down at her sister still sitting on the ground. After a few seconds she sighed, "Do you want me to get Lilly, too?"

Miley looked at her sister, stunned, but nodded. Luann nodded as well and left the bathroom. She walked downstairs, immediately greeted by a cacophony of voices. Two kids ran past her, nearly knocking her over. Several adults she did not know sat on the living room couches or mingled about. Luann pushed past them; some gave her weird looks, but she ignored them. She made it to the kitchen, where several more people were standing, arranging food on the table and putting finishing touches on more food. She couldn't see Susan anywhere.

Luann exited the front door and noticed several kids her age and younger, playing football in the front yard. She saw Lilly get tackled to the ground. "Hey, Blondie!"

Lilly turned hearing her special nickname and if Luann hadn't been kind of worried, she would have smirked. Lilly made a face at her, but jogged over nonetheless. She knew Luann didn't seek her out for nothing. She stopped in front of the brunette, short of breath. Lilly was sweaty and covered in dirt and Luann grimaced, but remembered why she was talking to her in the first place.

"Have you seen your mom?"

Lilly narrowed her eyes; Luan didn't seek out her mom, either. "She actually had to run to the store, crazily enough. Why? What's wrong?"

Luann didn't really want to tell her, though she had promised Miley to get her girlfriend, as well. She sighed, as if it were physically painful for her to be civil to the blonde, "Miley's sick or something."

Lilly's demeanor changed immediately from annoyed to worried and as much as it pained Luann to acknowledge it, she knew the blonde did care about her sister. "Go get my dad; he's out by the barn showing the guys his new four-wheeler. I'll go check on Miley."

Lilly jogged back to the house, despite protests from her cousins who wanted to finish the game. Luann watched her and turned to make her way to the barn. She knew Robbie was a nice man, but she hadn't had a huge amount of interaction with him. She was even less trusting of him as she was of Susan.

She found him easily and Robbie, just as Lilly had, knew something was up when he noticed Luann seeking him out. She tried to explain the situation without really alerting anyone else. Robbie Ray only had to look at the worried expression on her face to immediately follow her back to the house.

He wished Susan were there. She'd always been much better with the kids when they'd been sick. It wasn't that he didn't care; he supposed he just wasn't very good with feeling helpless and watching his kids suffer. It was particularly worrying with Miley, because they never knew whether it was just something simple or something serious.

They entered the girls' bathroom and he immediately noticed Miley sitting on the ground, Lilly right next to her. The brunette was practically hacking up a lung, while Lilly was rubbing her back soothingly. Robbie squatted down in front of the girl.

"Hey bud, how you feelin'?" he asked, putting his hand against her forehead.

"Just can't stop coughing," she said, her voice sounding scratchy. She didn't really look sick, other than the hacking cough.

"She's been coughing all morning, and she threw up, a lot," Luann interjected, knowing Miley was going to downplay whatever she was feeling.

"She was coughing a lot last night, too," Lilly added from her position next to her girlfriend. Miley glared at both of them. Now they were suddenly in agreement.

Robbie nodded and suppressed a sigh, "I'm gonna call the doc."

Miley looked at him, wide-eyed, "On Thanksgiving? You can't…I'm fine."

"It's her job, bud…it'll be alright. Now, do you think you gotta throw up again or do you wanna go lay down in bed?"

"Lay down," she said weakly, hating the fuss everyone was making. Even worse, now she was disrupting the family's Thanksgiving dinner. She felt Lilly's arm wrap around her waist to help her up and for once Luann didn't even completely glare at them. She leaned against her girlfriend, though she felt perfectly fine to walk to the bedroom. She just liked the comforting feeling of Lilly's arms wrapped around her.

Suddenly someone else appeared in the doorway. Jackson looked at them funnily and impatiently, "Dad, mom is looking for all of you…she wants to start dinner already."

Robbie threw his son a look, "Tell her we'll be right down."

Jackson hesitated; he wasn't a complete moron, but left nevertheless. Robbie looked at the three girls, "Miley, you go lay down. Luann, I know you won't leave your sister, so go on ahead. Lilly, go downstairs and help your mom with dinner. I'm gonna go call the doctor and I'll be back up in a few, alright?"

Lilly hesitated, not moving from her position next to Miley. She looked at her dad with a pitiful expression on her face, "Dad…"

He sighed, "Lilly…it's Thanksgiving dinner…your whole family's down there…"

"And Miley needs me…please, dad…no one will even notice," Lilly begged.

Miley wanted to protest. She didn't want to ruin another person's dinner, but started coughing again. Her whole body shook and she tried to keep herself from gagging again. Lilly held her up, glaring at her dad with a look that said 'See, I'm right'.

Robbie sighed and shook his head, "Fine, you three go to your room. I'll explain to your mom."

Trying to hide the triumphant smile on her face, Lilly led Miley out of the bathroom and into their bedroom. She sat her on the edge of her own bed and the brunette immediately laid down, curling into a ball. Lilly was about to climb up next to her, when she felt someone behind her and turned. Luann was giving her that look.

"Luann," Lilly sighed. This really wasn't the time to be petty.

Luann tried to keep her annoyance at bay. She didn't want Lilly there, but she knew Miley did. Her sister's face had always been easy to read and though she didn't want to admit it, Miley looked happy when she was around Lilly. Could she really deny her sister comfort when she was sick?

The older brunette sighed, "Blondie, you keep your hands where I can see them."

Lilly rolled her eyes. She climbed onto her bed and sat back against the wall. Miley didn't hesitate to curl into her lap, obviously feeling ill enough to not care about Luann's misgivings. Luann clenched her jaw watching them, but remained quiet. She went to grab a blanket from Miley's bed and spread it over her sister then climbed on the bed to sit next to Lilly. They looked at each other, neither one particularly pleased with the other's presence. They didn't break eye contact for a while, until, as if they'd both come to a sort of understanding, they both looked away. Lilly turned on the TV and they sat in silence, which was only interrupted by Miley's coughing, waiting for Robbie Ray to get back.

* * *

"Alright, Miley, you can put your shirt back on," the doctor said and handed her some napkins to wipe the goo off her chest.

Miley got dressed while the doctor was making notes in her chart. The brunette girl sat up on the exam table, nervously looking at the other occupants in the room. Susan sat on a chair by the door, watching her carefully. Luann stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed defensively. Luann hated doctors and hospitals even more than Miley, though she couldn't explain why. Maybe because every time she went she was presented with the very real fact that her sister was really sick and could die.

Dr. Matthews turned towards them and looked between Miley and Susan as she spoke, "Well, it looks like everything is okay. The meds seem to be doing their job and your heart's functioning a little better than before."

"Why's she been so sick then?" Susan asked, thinking of the ordeal of the past twenty-four hours. She and Robbie had spent most of Thanksgiving dinner alternating between checking on Miley and entertaining their huge family. They'd managed to reach Dr. Matthews a while later, who'd agreed to come into the office the next day to see Miley. Until then they'd just spent their time worrying.

"It looks like it's just some side effects from the meds. Her Digoxin levels were a little high, so I'll adjust the dosage. I'll also switch her to a different ACE-Inhibitor that doesn't cause the coughing," the doctor explained, looking at Susan.

"So, everything is okay?" Luann asked, the first time she'd spoken since entering the exam room.

Dr. Matthews looked at the taller girl. She'd seen Miley a few times in the past month, but had only met Luann twice. Miley had talked openly about her sister and Dr. Matthews knew they were incredibly close and relied very much on each other. She could easily tell Luann was worried.

"The symptoms are under control for now, yes. But we really need to start thinking about surgery."

"Surgery?" Miley asked sounding scared.

The doctor looked at her, "We've talked about this. For now we've just been trying to control the symptoms. But for you to really get better we need to replace the damaged valve, maybe repair it if possible. It is major surgery, but without it your heart will eventually fail."

Miley looked down at her hands and Susan stood up to walk over to her, taking the girl's hand in hers. She could tell Miley was scared. The doctor had mentioned the possibility of surgery during their first visit, but back then they'd been worried foremost about controlling Miley's symptoms. It seemed things were getting more serious.

"Our mom won't consent to the surgery," Luann suddenly said from her spot against the wall. Her features were dark. The two adult women turned to look at her. "A doctor told us this before…mom won't sign the consent form…she thinks everyone's exaggerating and just trying to make money."

Dr. Matthews tried not to let the shock show on her face, so instead she looked down and made some notes in the margins of Miley's chart. She looked back up at Susan, "Okay, girls, if you wanna wait outside, we're done here. Miley, I'll write up your new prescriptions and hopefully you should feel better by tomorrow. Mrs. Stewart, if you could stay behind for a second."

They watched the girls leave, Luann ushering her sister out of the exam room. Dr. Matthews stood, looking at the other woman intently, "Miley is going to need that surgery, sooner rather than later. If her mother won't sign the consent, I will coordinate with CPS and they will have to get a court order. I just want you to know in case it comes that far, it could get messy."

Susan nodded mutely. She wasn't concerned about how she or the rest of her family would handle this, but she was worried about the twins. She took the two prescriptions Dr. Matthews handed her and left the exam room. The girls were waiting for her just outside and together they left the doctor's office.


	12. A Silent Night

I knew I'd forgotten to do something! Well, for those of you on the West Coast, I'm technically still updating on Friday...everyone else, sorry I'm late. Thanks again to everyone who is reading and especially those of you who take the time to let me know how I'm doing. You rock! This is just a short chapter, but Monday should be a longer one...I hope ;)

* * *

**Chapter 12 – A Silent Night**

Robbie Ray exited the car, taking a deep breath of the cold winter air. After a few seconds, he walked to the front fender, inspecting it. He noticed someone walking towards him and looked up. The brunette girl wore a sheepish expression and was fiddling with her hands.

"Is it bad?" she asked.

He chuckled and stood, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and led her back to the house. "Nah, can't even tell."

They'd taken the twins to get their driving permits last week and it had been him mostly to give them lessons. He could tell Luann had driven before, though she'd sworn up and down she'd never break the law like that. Miley, on the other hand, was a true beginner, and Robbie was glad they had a lot of open space to practice. And his truck had seen better days anyways.

They entered the kitchen, where almost the whole family was assembled. Susan was making dinner, while Lilly, Luann and Amanda were doing homework. Jackson was at work and Tyler was getting ready to move out right after Christmas, so he was often gone to go to transitioning workshops and fill out paperwork. Jennifer had gone back home with her mother, who had recovered from a bad car accident, just last week. The house already felt a little emptier.

Susan noticed them and smirked when she saw Robbie's face. Miley sat at the table, a defeated look on her face. Susan tried not to laugh; she remembered how crushed Lilly had been during her first few driving attempts.

"What happened?" Susan asked and Robbie walked over next to her.

He shrugged, "Nothing too serious."

Miley turned around, eyebrows raised, "Nothing serious? I killed that poor animal!"

Robbie Ray grimaced trying to suppress a grin. Everyone was staring at Miley now. Susan looked from him to the brunette, "What'd you hit?"

Miley looked down at her hands, clenching her jaw. She hadn't really planned to share her embarrassing driving lesson with everyone, but in her despair it'd just slipped out. She mumbled something, hoping everyone would just leave her alone about it. They did not.

"What?" Luann asked, staring intently at her sister. This was exactly the reason Oliver had refused to give Miley driving lessons like he'd done with Luann.

"I hit a possum, okay!" Miley yelled and crossed her arms angrily.

There was silence in the kitchen, everyone too stunned or confused to speak. Miley glared at each one of them in turn.

"How do you hit a possum in the middle of the day?" Lilly asked, trying to keep her face neutral. She did not want to piss off her girlfriend.

"That's talent," Luann said from the other side, laughing. Miley could not understand why they only agreed on something when it was against her. She looked back down. She really wasn't that bad of a driver; that possum had come out of nowhere.

Lilly saw the frown on the brunette's face, "Aww, Miles, it's okay…I almost hit a fence when I learned to drive."

Miley scoffed, "Yeah, **almost**. And you didn't kill anything!"

Lilly couldn't help but grin, though luckily Miley wasn't looking. The blonde leaned forward in her seat and pecked her girlfriend on the lips, not thinking about everyone else present. Something hard hit her in the head and she pulled back. A calculator clattered to the floor and Lilly grabbed her Spanish dictionary and chucked it across the table.

"Hey!" Susan yelled, loud enough to stop the two girls in their tracks.

"Lilly was defiling my sister!" Luann said, pointing at the blonde across from her.

"Luann cracked my skull!" Lilly yelled, trying to defend herself.

"Sweet nibblets." Robbie just shook his head as he leaned back against the counter and watched his family.

* * *

"What're they doing, mom?" Lilly asked and stole a cookie off the plate on the counter.

Susan smacked her hand away and glanced into the living room Lilly had just left. The twins were sitting next to each other on the sofa; Miley with the phone in her hand and Luann with her arms crossed, looking pissed off.

"Talking to their mom," Susan said, suppressing a sigh. She understood the twins' need for their mother, even Luann though she wouldn't admit it, but they always came out of every encounter with her so defeated and reverting to their old selves.

Lilly made a face, "Ugh, why?"

Susan looked at her daughter, ignoring it as she stole another cookie, "It's their mother, Lilly…that will always mean something."

The girl chewed on her cookie, furrowing her brows, "But she treats them like shit…especially Miley."

"It's not for us to judge, hon. We just make sure we're there for them if they need us."

Lilly nodded, grabbed another cookie and went to stand in the kitchen's entrance way. The twins sat with their backs to it and thus couldn't see her, though she could hear what they were saying. She only felt a little guilty for spying on them.

"No, mom…no, I don't…I'm sorry…yes, I know, but…it just happened, mom…I don't think I'm going to hell…I know…I'm sorry…I…okay…" Miley's voice was soft and broke on several occasions. At the end she handed the receiver to Luann and wiped her sleeve across her eyes. She drew her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them sideways, watching her sister.

Luann took the receiver with a dark look on her face. "Mom," she said simply, silent while her mother talked on the other end. Lilly wanted to go comfort her girlfriend, but she didn't think it was the right time.

After several moments of silence, Luann snorted, "Wait, mom, let me get this straight…you want me to keep Miley from being gay?"

She listened again and turned slightly, seeing Lilly in the doorway for the first time. She frowned, but didn't throw anything, which was a certain improvement for Luann. She shook her head, "Yeah…don't count on it mom…in fact, I'm gonna make sure she goes on a thousand gay little dates with her gay girlfriend…have a nice Christmas in jail, mom."

Luann hung up and tossed the phone onto the loveseat and stood up. Miley looked up at her, a slight smile on her face and the older twin brushed her hand across her sister's head. Luann walked towards Lilly and gave her a nod of the head, "Go ahead."

She was just past the blonde, when she turned around, pointing a finger at Lilly, "But still no funny business, you hear me?"

Lilly just grinned and shook her head. She made her way over to Miley and sat on the sofa next to her. She held out her cookie like an offering and Miley took it with a slight smile. Lilly smiled back at her.

"Hey, cutie."

"Hi," Miley said softly, looking down at her cookie.

"Luann left us alone," Lilly said and turned so she was sitting on the sofa sideways.

Miley smiled again, "So I noticed."

Lilly rested one arm on top of Miley's knees and the other on the brunette's shoulder. They were very close. "It's a little weird."

The brunette turned her head, meeting her girlfriend's blue eyes. "I think she's just trying to get back at mom."

"Still," Lilly shrugged and leaned forward until their noses were touching, "I think we should make the most of it."

Miley closed her eyes when Lilly's lips met hers. It was a soft and tentative kiss, their positions too awkward to really have it go any further. Lilly got up on her knees, never breaking their kiss and gently pushed Miley onto her back. Her hands went to either side of the brunette's shoulders and she held up most her weight as she pressed her body against her girlfriend's. Miley tangled both hands in the long, blonde hair, curling her fingers around it when Lilly's tongue met hers. She bit the blonde's lower lip lightly and Lilly drew back in shock. Miley was normally way more reserved than that. She grinned down at her girlfriend and pressed their lips together again. One of Miley's hands was suddenly on her waist, fingertips brushing against the sensitive skin of her back and Lilly groaned.

"Hey! Hand check!" Luann yelled from the entranceway to the living room, the back of the sofa facing her. Lilly, without breaking away from Miley, raised one hand and flipped Luann off.

Luann frowned and crossed her arms, though they couldn't see her, "That's only one hand, Blondie! If I don't see four hands in the next second I am coming over there."

Four arms rose into the air, just reaching over the back of the sofa. Their hands were palm-to-palm, fingers intertwined. They left them up for several seconds, while Luann debated on whether to fold Lilly like a pretzel and stuff her in a box far away from her sister. She shook her head and walked away. The hands dropped again. Miley and Lilly smiled, never breaking their kiss.


	13. Thanks for Nothing

I'm glad people are liking Luann, she is definitely the most fun to write. Thank you everyone who reviewed. I think this part's a little bit longer, just to hold you over until Friday ;) Also, just something I noticed, but does anyone else feel like the show is getting more and more ridiculous? At least there's still plenty of subtext. I just had to get that off my chest...on with the show!

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Thanks for Nothing**

The three girls sat on the sofa, Miley in the middle to prevent the outbreak of any possible fights. The parents had called them to the living room for a family meeting and the three were rather nervous. They hadn't done anything wrong as far as they knew, though Lilly suspected Luann and Luann the blonde.

Robbie and Susan entered the living room, looking solemnly at their apprehensive faces. They looked around the room, noticing the other seats empty. Robbie shook his head, "Where's Jackson? I called him down ten minutes ago."

"Who knows," Lilly shrugged, "he probably got lost."

Robbie gave her a look, half admonishment, half amusement, and went to the staircase. Susan sat in the loveseat, looking at the girls. Miley looked to her left then her right and back at Susan, confused.

"Where are Amanda and Tyler?"

"Tyler is at his new place, getting ready to move out. And Robbie took Amanda to stay with her grandparents in Tullahoma right after school. They live in an assisted living facility and can't care for her full-time, but she goes to stay with them over winter break every year. As soon as Jackson gets here, we got something important to talk about."

As if on cue Robbie and Jackson came back down the stairs, the former with an exasperated look on his face. Jackson looked like he'd just woken up and sat with a heavy thud in the recliner. He looked between his parents and the three girls suspiciously.

"Whatever it is, it was Lilly," he said seriously then hesitated, "Actually no…it was probably Luann."

"Watch it, Jerkson," Luann said, the boy's nickname even making Lilly crack a smile.

Robbie sighed and shook his head, "Dang flabbit, do y'all ever stop bickering?"

"Jackson started it," Lilly said under her breath, though her parents still threw her a look.

"If y'all are done, we wanted to talk to you four about Christmas. We'd planned to take a little trip for a few months now; that was before Luann and Miley got here, of course," Susan started.

"Where are we gonna go?" Miley asked quietly and everyone looked at her. "Luann and I," she added when she noticed all the eyes on her.

Robbie and Susan looked at each other, before the brunette woman continued, "You're coming with us, of course."

"Why?" Luann asked, brows drawn together suspiciously.

"It's a family trip; you're family. Only Amanda and Tyler aren't going, because they've got other things going on," Robbie said and Miley looked down at her hands, though they could tell she was smiling.

"**I** have to go?"

"Yes, Jackson, I said **family**," Robbie sighed, throwing a glare at his son, who simply huffed.

"So, where is this trip to?" Lilly asked tentatively. Family vacation wasn't exactly the way she'd normally want to spend her Christmas, but this time, of course, there was Miley. And she'd go practically anywhere if it meant being with her girlfriend. Though, she reminded herself, Luann would be there, too.

"We're going to Disney World."

Lilly gaped at her parents, speechless. She'd been begging for a Disney vacation for probably around ten years and when she'd finally stopped asking, they actually went ahead and planned it. Even if she was sixteen and too cool for everything, Lilly wasn't embarrassed to be excited about going to Disney. She jumped up and hugged her parents, while Jackson just threw up his arms.

"Great, Disney World with three girls and my parents…I can never tell **anyone** about my Christmas vacation!" He got up and stomped theatrically up the stairs and out of sight.

Susan laughed, "I think he's excited." She noticed Luann's skeptical expression and smiled at the girl. She'd gotten used the girl's mistrust and learned how to handle her over the months. "What's wrong, Luann? You don't like Disney?"

"You're seriously gonna take us with you to Disney?" she asked. She'd learned a long time ago there were no nice people and no one did anything for free. Luann could not understand these people at all.

"Yes, Luann, seriously, unless you'd rather stay here and muck out the stalls," Robbie said.

Luann scoffed and rolled her eyes. Miley looked at her sister and smiled. She knew her sister well enough to know Luann was secretly excited but trying to hide it. They had never been on a vacation before and certainly not so far away as Florida.

"When are we leaving?" Miley asked.

"We're flying to Florida on the 22nd and we're staying for a week. Better pack for warm weather," Susan smiled, glad to see the excited looks on her kids' faces. "Now, dinner is almost ready, so Lilly and Luann, please go set the table."

The two girls got up without too much complaint and glared at each on their way to the kitchen. Robbie gave his wife a look as if to say 'I better keep an eye on them' and got up to follow. Miley watched them go and looked up as Susan sat down next to her.

"You feelin' okay, hun?" Susan asked, looking at the girl. She hadn't said anything before, but both Lilly and Luann had told her Miley seemed to be doing a little worse again, especially at school. Lilly had practically forced Miley to go to the nurse's office twice to lay down, after she was basically falling asleep in class. Susan had wanted to wait and see if anything changed.

Miley nodded, "Yeah, why?" She hated being the sick one and having everyone handle her with kid gloves.

"You look a little pale."

"I'm okay." Miley looked down again, knowing that her eyes always gave her away. She was exhausted.

Susan looked at her, skeptically and sighed, "Alright, then, sweet pea…why don't you go lay down for a bit and when you're feeling better I'll make you some dinner, okay?"

Miley looked up at her, amazed how the woman could not only see right through her, but was also so caring. She nodded softly and Susan smiled and stood. The woman brushed her hand across the top of the girl's head. Miley looked up at her again.

"Thanks, mom."

Miley froze as soon as the words left her mouth and Susan stared at her in shock. The brunette girl pulled back and clenched her jaw to keep herself from crying. She couldn't believe she'd just said that; just when everything had been going so perfectly and she'd had to go and ruin it.

"I-I'm sorry…I didn't…I'm sorry…please don't be mad," she practically begged, the panic in her voice bringing Susan out of her shock.

She immediately knelt down in front of the girl, taking her hands and forcing Miley to look at her, "Miley…Miley, listen to me…it's okay, I'm not mad, hun. Can I ask why you called me that?"

The girl looked away again. She just wanted to escape now. "I don't know…it just came out…I never had someone care about me like a mom does and you…it just felt like you are. I'm sorry…I just wish you were our mom."

"Oh honey, I wish I were your mom, too, but I'm not. You still have a mom and I don't want you to forget that. She cares about you, just as I do," Susan said, trying to get the girl to look at her again. Miley scoffed at the last part and Susan couldn't even begrudge her that; she herself didn't think the twins' mom cared about them all that much if she was willing to let them starve and let Miley's heart fail.

Susan squeezed Miley's hands, waiting for the girl to meet her eyes, before continuing, "Miley, if you'd like to call me 'mom' I don't have a problem with that…in fact, I'd be honored. But I don't want you to replace or forget the mother you already have, alright?"

Miley nodded and Susan smiled at her, before standing back up, "Alright, now go lay down."

She kissed the top of the brunette's head. Miley got up and gave her a soft, tentative smile, before walking up the stairs. Susan sighed and shook her head. They'd been fostering children for over eighteen years and she still marveled at the fact that sometimes one just **knew** when a child, or children in this case, were **meant** to be part of the family. She just hoped this time it would end as well as it had the last two times she'd just known – with Jackson and Lilly.

* * *

Lilly knocked on the door hesitantly. It only took a few seconds before the door opened and Luann gave her the standard glare. The blonde bit her tongue to keep from saying something antagonizing. Luann only opened the door far enough for her to stand in the doorway, but not enough to let Lilly in.

"Dinner is ready," Lilly said, trying to surreptitiously look around Luann's body.

Luann said nothing, instead turning around and walking back into the room. She didn't shut the door and Lilly followed her in, uninvited. Luann turned off the TV and moved to leave the room, suddenly finding Lilly in her way. The blonde met her eyes.

"How's Miley?"

The brunette suppressed a sigh and studied the blonde. Lilly looked just as concerned as Luann herself, but it was not something the brunette wanted to acknowledge. She noticed the other girl held something in her hands and sighed. Luann glanced over her shoulder at the single bed against the far wall.

"She's sleeping now…but she wasn't feeling great earlier," Luann said softly, eyes resting on the sleeping form of her sister, before she turned back to Lilly.

Lilly nodded weakly, eyes on the bed as well. Miley and Luann had, as per her parents' threat, moved rooms just after Lilly and the brunette had started dating. They had waited until Jennifer went home and moved Amanda into Lilly's room, much to her chagrin. Her parents had offered her either Amanda or Luann as a roommate and the blonde had quickly acquiesced.

"Can you tell mom I'm not hungry and I'm gonna stay up here with Miley?" Lilly said softly, looking at the other girl. Luann furrowed her brows. Lilly rolled her eyes at the brunette, "Seriously, Luann, I'm not going to molest your sister while she's sleeping."

Luann gritted her teeth, but said nothing. She knew that, of course. She'd, secretly anyway, accepted that Lilly cared for Miley and wanted to make her happy and wouldn't do anything her sister wasn't ready for. But Luann just didn't trust anyone else to take proper care of her sister. She looked down at Lilly's hand and motioned with her head.

"What's that?"

Lilly looked down as well and slowly raised the object for Luann to see. She shrugged, "Christmas present…I wanted to cheer her up."

Luann looked at the present and snorted. She met Lilly's eyes and smirked, "Alright, Blondie, go ahead. Let me know what she says when she sees that…in fact, she'll probably throw you out. Good luck."

The brunette left the bedroom, even shutting the door behind her on the way out. Lilly looked back, before making her way over to Miley's bed. Only one of the lamps on the bedside table illuminated the room, though the blonde had no problems seeing. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed and looked down at her girlfriend. Miley was curled up on her right side, a blanket draped over her lower body.

Lilly ran her hand lightly across the brunette's arm, before running her hand through Miley's hair. Her girlfriend leaned into the touch and Lilly smiled, climbing onto the bed. She leaned down as best as she could in the awkward position and kissed Miley's lips gently. When she pulled back, she was met with two bright, blue eyes. She smiled and Miley gave her a weak one in return.

"What'd you do with Luann?" the brunette asked. She'd fallen asleep with her sister watching TV on the other bed and Miley knew Luann would never leave Lilly alone with her.

Lilly grinned, "I think she only left 'cause she's expecting you to kick me out."

"What'd you do?" Miley asked apprehensively, pushing herself up to lean against the headboard. She still felt tired, but less so than before. Her heart had been beating erratically and she'd been having palpitations that made her chest ache. It wasn't so bad now, though somehow being around Lilly always made her feel better.

"I got you an early Christmas present," Lilly said and moved to sit closer to her girlfriend.

Miley gave her a weird look, "And I should be worried?"

Lilly didn't answer, grinning instead and held up the object in her hands. Miley looked at it and back at Lilly, before taking the stuffed animal from the blonde's hands. She grasped it in her own, looking at it, before making a face at her girlfriend.

"You are **not** funny!" Miley said, clutching the plush possum in her hands.

"Aww, Miles," Lilly pouted and reached out a hand to brush across the fake fur, "in memory of the poor possum that did not survive your driving lesson."

Miley frowned, clutching the animal against her chest and gave her girlfriend a serious look, "Alright, get out."

Lilly's face dropped and she gaped at the brunette, "Seriously?"

The brunette didn't speak for several seconds, before a grin broke out on her face, "No…but you deserved that. Thanks for the present Lils, he's cute."

Shaking her head, Lilly leaned closer and pressed her lips to Miley's. The brunette reciprocated and Lilly moved even closer, needing to feel her girlfriend's body against hers. Suddenly Miley's hand was on her shoulder, pushing her back slightly. Lilly sat back, next to the brunette, facing her. She looked at Miley in confusion.

The brunette held up the plush possum, frowning at Lilly, "You were crushing Possie."

Lilly was speechless for a second, before furrowing her brow, "Possie Possum? Seriously Mile?"

Miley shrugged and made a face at the blonde, "I'm sick, I'm not thinking straight."

Reaching for the possum, Lilly petted its head, "Sorry, Possie, I won't do it again." She looked up and cupped Miley's cheek, pulling her into another kiss. Pushing closer again, Lilly felt the thundering beat of Miley's heart against her own chest and pulled back. Sometimes she just lost control and had to remind herself to take it easy. It'd be especially bad to start a heavy make out session with Miley after Luann had been nice enough to let her stay.

"You wanna go get some dinner or lay down?" Lilly asked, tucking a strand of hair behind Miley's ear.

The brunette looked at her girlfriend. Though she probably could've managed to go downstairs and sit at the dinner table with everyone else, she just wanted to stay here, preferably wrapped in Lilly's arms. "Stay?"

Lilly smiled and motioned for her to lie down. Miley stretched out on the bed, her back to Lilly and the blonde laid down behind her, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's waist. They snuggled into each other and Lilly pulled the blanket across them. She wrapped her arm around Miley again, reaching for her hand, only to find the soft, furry body of the possum.

"Is Possie comfortable?" she asked, wrapping her arm around the brunette's arms that were curled against her chest.

Miley nodded, "Very. Thanks, Lilly."

"You're welcome, Miles," Lilly said softly and hugged her girlfriend closer against her. They were silent for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. Lilly was listening to Miley's breathing intently, feeling the rise and fall of the girl's chest against her arm.

"Miley, can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to," the blonde said quietly, sounding unsure. She'd been wondering about something for a while, though hadn't wanted to bring it up.

"Okay," Miley said, voice sounding sleepy.

Lilly hesitated, not wanting to ruin the moment. "What happened to your dad?"

The blonde expected Miley to stiffen or react badly, but the brunette merely sighed, "Overdose, I guess. We were pretty young and mom never really talked about him. I think she was mad he talked her out of getting an abortion and now she was stuck with two kids."

"Miles," Lilly said, feeling horrible for even bringing it up.

Miley turned onto her back in Lilly's embrace and looked at her girlfriend. "I don't mind. I know he wasn't a Father of the Year candidate…I mean, he did drugs and he drank and stuff…but he tried, at least. I know he loved us. That's all I can ask for, right?"

Lilly didn't respond, instead leaning over to place a chaste kiss on her girlfriend's lips. She pulled back; Miley's eyes were sparkling in the dim light and the blonde smiled. She laid on her back and the brunette snuggled into her side, resting her head on Lilly's shoulder. One arm draped across the blonde's chest, the furry possum still clutched in her hand. Lilly wrapped her left arm around her girlfriend's shoulders, while she rested her right hand on top of Miley's, which was holding the possum. She sighed contently. After a little while she could tell Miley was fast asleep. Lilly stayed awake, however, watching over her girlfriend.

* * *

"Did you reach Dr. Matthews?"

Susan turned to see her husband walk into the kitchen and pour himself a glass of water. She sat at the kitchen table, multiple papers spread out in front of her. She waited until he'd emptied most of his glass and sat at the table next to her. He looked at her expectantly and she sighed.

"Her levels were a little low this time, which is probably why she's been feeling worse again. Dr. Matthews said to have her take one and a half pills instead; we'll see. But she said the flight should be no problem, as long as she takes it easy."

Robbie nodded, turning his glass in his hands, "Did you talk to Miley?"

"She's still worried she'll ruin our vacation. I told her if she really feels sick on Tuesday, I will stay here with her. Let's just hope a few days on the new dosage will get her feeling better," Susan said, stacking some of her papers together.

He looked at the papers from the side and then met her eyes again, "What're you doing with the twins' files?"

Susan put all the papers back into their folders and looked at him, "Just some research."

Robbie leaned back in his chair and gave his wife a look. They'd been married long enough for him to know when she was up to something. "Susan, what are you up to?"

She crossed her arms, setting the two folders on the table in front of her. He was giving her that look and she knew he'd leave her be if she didn't tell him, but Susan knew she might end up needing his help. He had a few connections in the area due to his status as a respected songwriter and those connections might come in handy. She sighed. "I was talking to Luann, about her family."

Seeing the incredulous look on his face, she raised a hand to stop him, "Yes, I'm sure it was Luann…I wanted to know if there are any other family members…grandparents, aunts, uncles…I mean, how can there be no one who cares about these girls?"

Robbie leaned back forward, "No one cares about them?"

Susan rolled her eyes at him, "Oh you know what I mean, don't be difficult, Robbie Ray. I already love those girls like they're my own daughters; don't you go startin' something."

"Well, what did you find out?" he asked her, deciding against being difficult. He knew how attached she'd gotten to the twins and he dreaded the time when the girls might have to go back to their mother. Of course, he had to admit, he'd grown pretty close to them as well and couldn't imagine the family without them in it.

She shrugged, "Nothing. From what Luann knew their mother's parents are dead and she had no siblings. She didn't know much about their dad or whether he had any living relatives."

"So then what are you doing?"

"I'm looking into it," she said simply and grabbed the files in front of her. Susan got up to put the folders away and Robbie watched her go with an apprehensive look on his face.


	14. The Magic in Me

An early update for all you awesome people! Now** lita rocks, **you don't have to hang on ALL the way until Friday ;) I think I bombed my midterm, so I just had to do something I'm not horrible at...so fic it is! Here we go...

* * *

**Chapter 14 – The Magic in Me**

Someone bumped into her from behind and she turned, angry glare ready, only to walk into someone in front of her. The man gave her a glare of his own, muttering something under his breath about prohibiting children at airports and Luann made a face at him. She gripped the straps of her backpack, a sour look on her face as she followed the others through the terminal. Two hours on a plane and she had already decided she did not want to get back on. Of course she had gotten stuck next to Lilly and in front of a kid with restless legs. At that point she would even have let her sister sit next to the blonde, but Susan had refused because she wanted Miley next to her to make sure she was okay.

Not paying attention where she was walking, Luann ran straight into Lilly's backpack. The blonde turned, an exasperated look on her face, "Would you just back off already?"

Ignoring the comment, Luann shoved her slightly for good measure as she pushed past. Susan turned to look at them, frustration evident on her face, as well. Four grown children and she felt like she was traveling with a bunch of toddlers. "Luann and Lilly, if you two don't stop right now, I will leave you here."

"She pushed me, she started it," Lilly said, sick of getting in trouble because of Luann.

"You started it when you were born," Luann retorted. She had never really fought with her sister and found the whole antagonizing ordeal to be quite entertaining.

Robbie managed to grab the back of Lilly's backpack to stop her from going after Luann, a wry grin on his face. What had they been thinking when they'd planned a vacation with four teenagers? They'd almost missed their first flight because no one was ready on time, too busy arguing to finish packing and eating breakfast.

"Why do I have to walk?" Jackson whined from next to him and he looked at his son in annoyance.

"Do you really want me to answer that, Jackson?" he asked.

The boy huffed, "Miley doesn't have to. She always gets to be lazy."

He briefly wondered whether someone would object to him smacking the back of his son's head in public, when Lilly and Luann beat him to it. At least they were in agreement now. He had noticed the only time they were ever in agreement was over Miley's health and protection, much to the younger brunette's chagrin.

"I'll trade you, Jerkson," Miley said, looking just as cranky as the rest of the kids. She couldn't believe they'd made her use a wheelchair in the airport, claiming that they needed to rush and it would be too much walking for her anyway and that she'd slow them down. Well, Luann had added the last one, never one to beat around the bush. Plus, anything that made Miley do even less physically was a great choice to Luann.

Susan sighed, meeting Robbie's eyes fleetingly as they made their way through the terminal. She risked a glance at the skycap pushing Miley's wheelchair; the look on his face told her she probably needed to give him a big tip. He finally led them to a waiting area by their next gate and even found them a few, mostly empty, seats. The skycap stopped the wheelchair next to a row of chairs and put on the brakes.

"She can sit in the wheelchair or on the other chairs; when it's time to board someone will push her up to the plane," he said, sounding bored.

Susan thanked him and tipped him generously, considering how long he'd had to put up with all the bickering. She sat with a heavy sigh in one of the chairs, Robbie doing the same to her left. Luann, Lilly and Jackson haphazardly threw their backpacks onto the remaining seats, bickering again over something else. An older woman sat across from her, reading a newspaper and glanced up occasionally to watch them. Susan looked at Miley, who did not look too happy, either.

"Miley, come on, sit over here," she said, knowing the girl hated being treated like she was an invalid. They hadn't wanted her to overexert herself racing all over two airports trying to make flights and dodging other travelers, not to mention that they had already been late and couldn't afford to walk at her pace.

The brunette girl got up and sat in the chair to Susan's right, resting her head on the woman's shoulder. Susan smiled and wrapped her arm around Miley's shoulders. Miley practically craved love and attention, something Susan was sure she had never gotten at home, while Luann was a lot more reserved.

She noticed Jackson and Luann fighting over a granola bar from the corner of her eye and suppressed a groan. Grabbing her purse, she pulled out some money and held it out to Lilly, who sat closest to her. "Guys, please, go get yourselves some food, walk around, come back when you can sit here without annoying me."

Luann snatched the money from her hand before Lilly could react and got up. Jackson looked at her, almost as if considering asking her to bring him something, but decided against it and stood as well. Lilly made a face at the brunette then looked at Miley next to her.

"Can Miley go?"

Susan looked down at the brunette, who seemed half asleep. "Why don't you just bring her something back?"

Lilly nodded and took Miley's hand to give it a squeeze. Her girlfriend turned slightly and gave her a smile, which the blonde couldn't help but return. She got up and followed Luann and Jackson, who were already arguing over where to get food.

Miley sat up and watched them go. She wasn't really hungry, but she wished she could go with them. Then again, she figured, all their bickering was getting pretty annoying. The brunette really just wished she could go with Lilly, but Susan and Robbie wanted her to take it easy on the way there. She was still incredibly tired. Miley just hoped Lilly would come back with her food right away so she could at least sit with her girlfriend for a bit. She looked at Susan.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

"Alright, hun, but no detours," Susan said, only glancing up from her magazine.

Miley rolled her eyes as she got up, "Yes, mom." She smirked slightly as she made her way past the row of chairs and walked to the bathroom.

"You should be ashamed of yourself."

Susan looked up from her magazine, confused. The woman across from her was staring, eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

The woman huffed, "Teaching your children it's okay to lie."

Susan had no idea what the woman was talking about and chanced a glance at her husband who was on the phone, not paying attention. She looked back at the woman. "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"Your daughter…wheelchairs are for people who have trouble getting around, not for spoiled little brats who don't want to walk," the woman said importantly.

Susan felt three things at once. First, hearing Miley referred to as her daughter actually made her heart swell a little and she was surprised at how much she'd come to care for the girl. Secondly, she was relieved that Luann had not been near to hear the woman's statement, for it would certainly have meant the family spending Christmas in Charlotte, NC trying to get the girl out of jail. Thirdly, and most prominently, was anger.

She had to take several deep breaths to keep herself from knocking some sense into the woman. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember inviting you to poke your nose into my family's business. My husband and I have never instructed our children to do anything untoward and you can rest assured if my daughter is using a wheelchair she needs to be in it."

The woman huffed, again. "Now that…well…no…"

"Now, if you still feel like we are committing some horrible injustice, please feel free to talk to one of the employees here. I'd be happy to provide them with the documentation showing my daughter requires that wheelchair. If you'll excuse me." Susan picked her magazine back up, but noticed Miley standing off to the side, looking at her. The girl was looking at her strangely and didn't move for several seconds.

Miley finally moved and sat back in her chair next to Susan. She glanced at the woman, not sure how to feel. She'd heard the tail end of the conversation and was shocked to hear Susan refer to her as her daughter. Susan smiled at her and turned back to her magazine. Miley noticed the woman across from them throwing her an angry glare and really wanted to stick her tongue out at her, but resisted.

A few minutes later Lilly returned, sitting next to her girlfriend with a grin. She held out a bag to Miley, who took it with a smile. She knew it was probably something totally healthy and gross, hand-picked by Luann, though she didn't even care this time. Miley slid as close as possible to Lilly, wondering briefly what the old lady would say if she knew they were dating. Susan glanced at the two and shook her head, nevertheless smiling. She thought maybe she was biased, but out of all of Lilly's girlfriends she definitely preferred Miley to anyone else. And she also knew Lilly wouldn't dare hurt the brunette and would do anything to protect her. Susan just hoped things would work out, not just for Lilly and Miley, but for the twins and her whole family.

* * *

"You're sleeping on that side, Miles."

"Okay, why?" the younger brunette asked, tossing her backpack onto the ground.

Luann set both their bags against the wall, glancing over at the other double bed in the room. "So I can sleep in between you and Lilly."

Miley made a face, "That's creepy, Lu."

"Not in the same bed, doofus," Luann said, exasperated. Why did they have to share a room with the blonde again, when they'd just gotten rid of her? The Stewarts had rented a suite in the hotel, with two bedrooms for the parents and the girls and a sleeper sofa in the main room that Jackson had been relegated to.

"You're still creepy," Miley said, defiant, though she had never expected to be able to share a bed with her girlfriend under the watchful eyes of Luann. Perhaps Susan and Robbie would have let them get away with it.

Luann made a face at her and pushed her to sit on the bed without much force, "And you're funny looking."

Lilly snorted from her side of the room, where she was stowing her own bags. "That's a good one, Luann, really…now I know why you're not the smart one."

"Well, at least I got beauty instead of brains…sadly enough, you were graced with neither."

The blonde stuck her tongue out at the brunette, unable to think of a comeback. Why did she have to share her childhood dream with super-annoying Luann? The older brunette went in search of the bathroom and as soon as the door closed, Miley was sitting next to Lilly on the bed. Lilly grinned at her. Miley was looking a lot better now, as opposed to the sickly paleness earlier during their eight-hour ordeal. Their second flight had been delayed by three hours and towards the end it hadn't just been the kids who'd gotten antsy.

Miley climbed onto Lilly's lap, straddling her and brought their lips together. It was a bold move from the brunette and Lilly's heart did multiple somersaults. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist and pulled Miley on top of her as she lay back. They kissed gently, without much urgency, despite Luann's nearness. Lilly reveled in the feeling of Miley's soft, warm body against hers, the other girl's lips against hers and her heart swelled with love. She sighed.

"Am I boring you?" Miley asked as she pulled away slightly.

Lilly brushed some of the stray brunette locks behind her girlfriend's ear, "No way, Miles, I was just thinking."

"About what?" Miley asked, resting her head on Lilly's chest.

The blonde ran her hand through Miley's hair, hesitating. She knew her heart must be thundering. "Just about…how much I love…"

The bathroom door burst open and Miley nearly jumped off of Lilly, but the blonde held onto her to stop her from moving. She was getting sick of Luann interrupting or making them feel like their relationship was something horrible. She could feel Miley's hand grip her shirt tightly. Luann walked back into the room and stopped when she saw them cuddled together.

"Seriously, I leave for like two minutes and you're already pawing my sister."

"Actually, I think your sister was pawing me," Lilly retorted. Miley boxed her in the side lightly.

Luann stood by her own bed and crossed her arms as she looked at them. She could not understand what Miley saw in that girl. "I think you have a death wish, Blondie."

Someone entered the doorway to the room before Lilly could respond. Susan looked from a pissed-off Luann to Lilly and Miley cuddled up on the bed. They moved when they saw her, sheepish looks on their faces. She wouldn't have made them move; they obviously cared a great deal for each other and were quite adorable together, but Susan still thought it was good if they had a healthy dose of respect for her.

"Everyone still alive in here?"

"Just peachy," Luann said, the look on her face almost comical. Susan hoped the older brunette would relax some about Miley dating Lilly; it was only amusing up to the point where it made Miley miserable and Lilly angry.

Susan nodded, "Alright, then, why don't you all shower and change. We're going to dinner in a bit."

As soon as she left, Luann got closer to the other two, "No joint showers. Miley, you go first."

The younger brunette rolled her eyes at her sister. Like she even had the nerve to consider sharing a shower with Lilly. Luann was still looking at her expectantly, so Miley leaned over and pecked Lilly's lips before getting up. She went to the bathroom hoping both her sister and her girlfriend would still be alive when she got out.


	15. Your Happy Place

Yes, begging and sad puppy-dog faces do work...although this isn't as early as some of you wanted ;) I think I've now screwed up my whole posting schedule; I suppose I just have to randomly surprise you guys. I think I'm way too forgetful to update more than twice a week...but it doesn't hurt to be reminded to do it every once in a while ;) Thanks for reviewing guys, here's the next part...

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Your Happy Place**

"Mom, let me have yours and Miley's tickets," Jackson said, taking them from the woman and almost running off again, when he saw everyone's looks. He shrugged, "What, Miley can't go on any of those rides and mom's gonna stay with her anyway…it'd be a waste not to get FastPasses with their tickets."

Luann grabbed the two tickets out of his hand with a glare before he could react, "Maybe Miley wanted to go on a different ride…y'know, have fun, too?"

Jackson rolled his eyes, "It's A Small World and the Teacup ride don't have FastPasses anyway. Now give it back!"

He moved as if to grab them from her, but she handed them to Lilly next to her who moved behind Miley. The younger brunette was sitting in a wheelchair again, much to her chagrin, though Susan had promised her she could walk around until she got tired. She looked up at her girlfriend's face. Lilly was completely ecstatic, in fact, she had been acting like a little kid since they'd gotten up. And Miley could tell Luann was pretty excited, too; she'd even see the two cooperate, not just now, but before when scoping out the best way to go about getting FastPasses for all the good rides. She couldn't force them to stick around her all day and ride the kiddie rides that were all she was allowed on.

"Just go ahead, guys. Jackson's right, you might as well use my ticket and go on twice."

Lilly looked up and met Luann's eyes. They hadn't talked about it, since they never talked civilly, but it was perfectly clear to both of them they'd forego Splash Mountain and Space Mountain just to make Miley happy. Lilly was slightly shocked by the revelation; she'd wanted to come here for years, but now the only thing she cared about was Miley. Well, that wasn't totally the truth. She was incredibly excited to be here, but it just didn't mean the same if Miley was miserable while they were enjoying themselves.

"Why don't you all go ahead and get your FastPasses and while you're waiting to go on those rides, we can all go on some calmer ones together? I've really wanted to go on Pirates of the Caribbean," Susan said, trying to make everyone happy.

She'd never been a huge fan of rollercoasters and thus it worked out well for her to stay with Miley. But she didn't want the brunette to just sit around and watch everyone else have fun. Everyone readily agreed and even Jackson only mumbled unhappily. Robbie and the three kids went to get their passes and they set off in the direction of Adventureland together. Luann was pushing the wheelchair, obviously fearing someone else might not be gentle enough, though Susan expected her to give up after a while. Miley stopped her sister.

"Can I walk now?"

Susan looked at Robbie briefly, before nodding. They'd talked about it at length and though they hadn't wanted to make Miley feel handicapped, the truth was that they knew she couldn't walk miles and miles around the park. They'd both agreed to keep a close eye on the girl and make sure she rested when she needed it. Miley got out of the chair, relief obvious on her face.

Luann frowned, "But you have to get back in before we get there, Miles, otherwise we can't skip the line."

Miley glared at her sister and walked away to catch up with Lilly. The blonde waited for her with a smile and took her girlfriend's hand. Together they led the family to their destination.

* * *

Luann stalked after Lilly, completely soaked. They reached the spot where Susan and Miley were waiting for everyone. Susan saw the grin on Lilly's face and the sour look on Luann's and suppressed a smile.

"How'd you like Splash Mountain, girls?" she asked. Robbie and Jackson were coming up as well behind the two, both in various stages of being wet.

"15 minutes of listening to creepy woodland creatures and then I get totally soaked!" Luann said, while Lilly laughed at her. The brunette turned to her, "You just wait, Blondie, I'm gonna get you back."

The other two caught up with them finally and Susan turned to address everyone, "I think Miley and I are going to head back to the hotel."

Everyone looked at the brunette girl, who was sitting in her wheelchair looking anything but thrilled. However, everyone could clearly see she was exhausted. Lilly stood behind her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around the girl's shoulders, despite everyone watching.

"Already? Didn't we just get here?" Jackson asked, clearly worried this would mean the end of his day, too.

"We've been here eight hours already, son," Robbie Ray said, wondering if the boy had a sensitive bone in his body. "Alright, Susan, you two head on back. Jackson and I will stay here. Luann, Lilly, you're free to do whatever."

"I'm going with Miley," the two said almost simultaneously then glared at each other.

Miley rolled her eyes at them. Their self-sacrificing was really reaching new heights and she wondered whether they weren't just trying to outdo each other. They were obviously having fun and she saw no point in them going back to the hotel to watch her lie around. "I don't want either of you to come back to the hotel and then keep me up with your constant bickering. Stay here, both of you."

Lilly and Luann looked at each other, each clearly blaming the other. Luann shrugged, "Then only one of us goes, well, only I go, of course."

"No way." Miley shook her head.

"I say both of you stay with Robbie and Jackson. Come back once you've been on every ride. Miley and I will be fine alone," Susan said, her tone final. She agreed with Miley's assessment that she'd never get to relax with those two around her. Motioning with her hands she indicated for them to go. Lilly and Luann hesitated. Eventually Lilly leaned down and kissed the top of the brunette's head, before joining her brother and father. Luann merely nudged her sister's shoulder and walked away, as well. Susan took the wheelchair and began their trek back to the entrance.

* * *

Miley sleepily blinked her eyes open as loud voices reached her ear. It was completely dark outside now and someone flicked on the light in the room.

"No way is Thunder Mountain better than Space Mountain…you're insane," the first voice said, coming closer to the room from the main area.

"At least you can see where you're going…and good job, Blondie, you woke up Miley," Luann said scathingly, walking into the room.

Miley turned onto her back and pushed herself up slightly. She couldn't believe those two had spent an entire day having fun together and were still bickering. "Actually, Luann, I think it was both of you that woke me up…do you two ever stop?"

Luann at least looked somewhat apologetic as she stood before her. Lilly came into the room after her, smiling as she saw Miley. Luann cocked her head, looking at her sister, "Why are you in my bed?"

"If I remember correctly, this was my bed, too, with built in Luann buffer so Lilly and I couldn't make out telepathically."

The older brunette made a face. Miley had been so sick and weak lately, Luann had almost forgotten her sister's sarcastic wit. She preferred her sister this way, despite the fact that she was more prone to argue. "You're funny, Miles. And anyway, it **was** your bed, until you spent all night kicking me and punching me and acting like a space heater."

Miley frowned, "I did not."

"You punched me in the face! I was just too nice to wake you up, but I am not sharing a bed with you again."

"Where am I supposed to sleep then?"

Luann shrugged, "I've already talked to Jackson; he's okay with it."

Miley gaped at her, "You better be joking."

"I am. You can share with Lilly, I'm sure she doesn't mind being kicked all night."

Both Miley and Lilly stared at the older brunette, wondering what her agenda was. Seeing their looks, Luann narrowed her eyes, "I don't mean 'share' like 'defiling my sister share'. I mean 'share' like 'sleeping on opposite ends with a pillow barrier share'."

"Lilly was right," Miley said, drawing the others' eyes to her, "you **are** insane, Lu."

"Yes, but you have to love me anyway, so I don't see the problem," Luann said, walking to the bathroom to get changed for dinner.

Miley and Lilly could only stare at each other in confusion. Perhaps all the wild rides had knocked some brain cells loose in Luann's head. Regardless, they weren't going to complain about getting to share a bed.

* * *

Annoying Christmas music was playing on loop in the background and the lights of the tacky fake Christmas tree twinkled before her. Everyone was sitting around it in a half-circle and she looked from face to face. She could read the contentment, the happiness clearly written on everyone's faces and looked down.

It was Christmas Eve and for once she, and her sister, were spending it as it should be – with family. They'd all gone to dinner at the hotel restaurant and then come back up to the suite to open presents. Granted, there hadn't been many, considering the, probably very expensive, vacation they were currently on. Nevertheless, it was more than she'd ever gotten before. Mostly gift cards to clothing stores and the likes, but she'd also gotten a CD she couldn't believe Susan had remembered her wanting.

Luann looked over at her sister who sat closest to the tree. The light was reflecting in her eyes and the soft, relaxed smile on her face almost made Luann want to cry. She couldn't explain why she was feeling so emotional; perhaps because it was Christmas and for once she'd actually enjoyed it. Perhaps because she'd never seen that look on Miley's face before. Perhaps because she was afraid she would never see it again.

Miley was flipping through the pages of the book she'd gotten, some horribly huge autobiography by some horribly boring person that she had desperately wanted to read. Luann would never understand where her sister had gotten her brains from, judging by the rest of the family. Lilly, who was sitting next to the younger brunette, was glancing at the book every so often, grimacing.

Luann turned to look at Robbie and Susan, sitting together on the sofa, watching their children. She surprised herself with the thought; she hadn't been the one to start calling them 'mom' and 'dad' like Miley had done. But in a way, Luann knew they were the only real parents she had ever really had, the only ones who had cared for her without hesitation, who had loved her without condition. The realization scared her, because deep down Luann knew it would not last forever. Nothing good ever did.

"Alright, everybody," Robbie Ray said, moving to the edge of the sofa, "I think it's time we all headed to bed. We've got another early day tomorrow if we wanna make it to Animal Kingdom."

The kids all groaned as they moved to gather their presents, never enjoying being told when to go to bed. Luann stood, watching her sister. Lilly was talking softly to her and Miley was laughing, sometimes pushing the blonde slightly as if Lilly was antagonizing her. The happiness on her sister's face made Luann's heart ache. She turned back to look at the two parents.

Robbie Ray and Susan stood as well and suddenly Luann moved over to them. The two adults were right next to each other and the girl hugged them both at the same time. It took several moments for either Robbie or Susan to move, too shocked were they by what was happening. Susan responded first, wrapping one arm around the girl and Robbie followed suit. He even did a double take to make sure it really was Luann and not Miley standing there, hugging them.

Luann pulled away, suddenly embarrassed. She looked at them, their stunned faces. "Thanks…for giving Miley and me a real family."

Too stunned for words, neither adult spoke and Luann turned on her heel, grabbed her presents and headed towards the girls' bedroom. Everyone was staring at her now, though she could see the slight smirk on Miley's face. Luann passed by the other two girls and made a face at Lilly. She couldn't let the blonde think she'd gone soft, after all.


	16. There Was Nothing Missing

I actually don't remember when I'm supposed to update anymore, so I hope you all didn't wait too long ;) Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing this. Also, just as a side note, after reading this, don't hate me, yet...

* * *

**Chapter 16 – There Was Nothing Missing**

"Stop it, Luann!"

"I cannot listen to this damn country music another second," the brunette said, fiddling with the radio dial again.

Jackson tried to slap her hand away a second time, "Well, I'm driving, so deal."

She glared at him, "I am dealing, by changing the station." They continued to push at each other, the music switching between country to pop to static continuously.

Miley and Lilly looked at each other, rolling their eyes. Miley was just happy for once it wasn't Lilly and her sister fighting and Lilly was happy she wasn't the only one annoyed with Luann. They were sitting in the back, holding hands. Miley was tracing idle patterns on the back of Lilly's hand with her fingers, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder. Lilly sighed in contentment as she looked out of the car window. The landscape was mostly white now, a light dusting of snow clinging to the trees and building, though a lot of it was just ice. There was a lot less traffic out during this weather and everything just felt calmer to her. If it hadn't been for the two morons in the front it would have been perfect. She temporarily considered kicking Luann's seat, who sat in the passenger seat in front of her.

"It's my car!"

"And my ears!"

Jackson groaned, "I'm just gonna drop you off right here."

"Okay boy wonder, how about you just keep your eyes on the road."

Lilly felt Miley sigh against her as well and leaned her head back. Then they were spinning. Lilly's body jerked to the right and her head snapped up, both her arms unconsciously grabbing for Miley. The car spun on the icy road and Lilly saw the panicked face of her brother as he tried to correct the uncontrolled spin. She saw everything perfectly clear, her eyes wide open in panic. The white came towards them at an impossible speed as the car skidded off the road. Lilly saw the trees rushing at them and closed her eyes. The car jerked to a stop abruptly, the shattering of glass and screeching of metal ringing loudly in her ears. Her head hit the side window none too gently and she groaned.

She had expected a heavy silence to settle around them when the car finally stopped moving, but the country station Luann had been trying to change blared loudly through the speakers. Lilly warily blinked her eyes open and started at what she saw. A tree branch had stopped maybe three feet from her face where she now sat almost sideways in her seat. Her heart thundered in her chest and she forced the nausea down. She noticed movement from the front, but did not turn her head, eyes fixed on the branch that had shattered the driver's side backseat window.

"Miley!"

The voice sounded hollow in her ears and Lilly did not react to it. She was trying to get her breathing under control, taking deep breaths despite the heavy weight against her chest. Her arms ached from their strain, but she could not relax her muscles. The car shook again and she thought she heard a door open. Suddenly she was being pulled backwards, the seatbelt preventing her from being yanked out of the car.

"Miley. Miley. Miley," a voice begged in her ear and Lilly blinked the cobwebs away. Things were starting to get clearer and she immediately knew it was Luann's hands grabbing at her. She became aware of the death grip her arms had around her girlfriend, Miley pressed tightly against her and she relaxed.

Lilly was suddenly met with two bright blue eyes and despite everything she smiled. Miley's face was deathly white and the shock was clearly written on her features, but she was okay. A hand brushed against Lilly's side and she didn't realize it hadn't been Miley's until she heard her seatbelt click and felt herself roughly pulled backwards again. This time she actually tumbled out of the car, unable to catch her footing, and fell into the snow.

Luann didn't pay her any attention and was already reaching back inside to pull her sister out, much gentler. She stood Miley up outside the car, ignoring Lilly who was getting back to her feet unhappily. Lilly wanted to yell at Luann, but seeing that look on the girl's face stopped her. She had never seen that look on Luann before – pure, unadulterated panic. Lilly moved to the passenger seat and noticed with much relief Jackson was already trying to climb out himself.

The older brunette ran her hands across Miley's body, moving her arms as if to assure they were still in working order. She brushed glass from Miley's hair and back, her shaking hands searching her sister for any sign of injury. She was clenching her jaw tightly to keep from crying. The first thing she'd noticed after the car had stopped had been the tree branch rammed through the window where Miley was sitting. She could not find a single injury on her sister, however, and slowly Luann felt the panic ebb away.

Miley let her for a short while, knowing Luann needed to reassure herself, but eventually pushed her sister's hands away, "I'm fine, Luann."

Luann stopped her ministrations and looked at her sister, eyes watery, "You could've been killed, Mile. What the fuck am I supposed to do without you, huh?"

Tears pooled in Miley's as well, but her voice was steady when she spoke, "Lilly pulled me away." Luann looked away at her words, glancing briefly at Lilly who stood staring at the twins, holding out a hand to her brother as he climbed out of the car.

Miley reached a hand to touch her sister's forehead with a frown, "You're bleeding, Lu."

Luann touched her forehead and was surprised to see blood on her fingers. She noticed Miley's worried look and wiped the blood on her pants, "It's nothing, I probably just hit my head a little when we hit the tree. Doesn't even hurt. Now sit down, Miles; how's your heart?"

Miley let Luann push her to sit sideways on the edge of the backseat, but looked up to meet Lilly's eyes. When they'd first started skidding on the road she'd thought her heart was going to explode and she might quite possibly die if the crash didn't kill them all. Lilly had wrapped her arms around her then and pulled Miley against her so tight, the brunette had known she was going to be okay. She held out a hand and Lilly was next to her in an instant, intertwining their fingers. Miley smiled at her girlfriend and turned back to her sister.

"I feel okay…Lilly protected me," Miley said, facing the blonde again.

Luann looked away with a heavy sigh, "Yeah…yeah, she did." The sirens could be heard coming closer in the background.

* * *

Susan tried not to fidget, to not let her nervousness show, but it was getting increasingly harder. She watched Amanda who was doing homework at the kitchen table and she did not want to alarm the girl. Susan had been trying to inconspicuously look out the kitchen window for a while now, willing Robbie's truck to pull into the driveway.

Every mother worried; it was her job, after all. And no mother would be able to sit still without absolute panic flooding her at the news one of her children was involved in a car crash. But to have four of her children in a car accident was just beyond cruel. Sure, she'd been told they were all fine, but a mother didn't believe those words until she could see for herself. But with no car and Amanda to watch she had no option other than waiting for Robbie to bring them home.

Lost in her thoughts she did not notice they were home until the front porch creaked under multiple pairs of feet. She rushed into the entrance hall just as Robbie was ushering the children into the house. She did a quick once-over, noting everyone still had heads, arms and legs to her immediate relief. Then she began a more thorough assessment as her children entered the doorway, all in various stages of being bandaged up. She met Robbie's eyes questioningly and he immediately knew what she wanted.

He pointed at Jackson, who came through first, "Sprained wrist, a few bruises."

Luann pushed through next, a sour look on her face as her hand went to a bandage on her forehead. Susan grabbed her wrist to stop her from picking at it. "Small laceration and a mild concussion. The doctor said she might be a bit crabby the next few days."

Lilly snorted at her father's words, following the brunette into the house, "Lord help us, Luann might be **crabby**? You don't say."

Luann turned to glare at the blonde and Lilly simply made a face at her. Robbie heaved a sigh, motioning at the blonde, "Just a knock on the head…good thing she's got such a hard noggin."

"And lastly," he said, putting both his hands on Miley's shoulders as he ushered her into the house, "perfectly fine."

Susan looked at Miley intently, as if expecting the doctors to have missed something. She had to admit to herself she had been most worried about Miley after finding out about the crash. Perhaps she did think of the girl as more fragile than the others. But Miley did seem to be perfectly fine.

Miley smiled at her, seeing the disbelieving look on her face, "Lilly protected me."

Luann groaned off to the side, "If I have to hear about superhero Lilly one more time I'm going to puke."

Miley ignored her sister, instead taking her girlfriend's hand. She smiled at Lilly, who returned it in kind. Susan watched the dopey smiles on their faces and the dark look on Luann's and almost wanted to laugh. The relief she felt at knowing her children were okay was immense and overwhelming.

"Luann, why don't you go lay down, honey, your head must be hurting. Miley, if you want, you can go, too. The rest of you, in the living room," Susan said, wanting a more detailed account of what had happened.

Luann moved to the staircase without a word, indicating to the woman she probably wasn't feeling too great. Miley didn't move, however, still holding hands with Lilly. The two girls followed her into the living room, where Jackson flopped heavily into the recliner.

"Why do I get a stupid sprained wrist and Luann gets cool stitches?" he huffed.

"Uhh what?" Robbie said, looking at him strangely.

"Chicks dig scars," Jackson said then seemed to think of something. "Of course, with my injury, I can't do any homework."

Robbie Ray scoffed and sat on the sofa, "Dream on, boy."

Miley and Lilly looked at each other, wondering what was wrong with their siblings.

* * *

Miley rounded the corner and stopped. She'd been looking for Lilly everywhere; normally the blonde waited for her after her last class and they walked to their lockers together, but today Lilly had not been there. The hallways were clearing out and mostly empty by now and she'd been heading to meet Jackson and Luann out at the parking lot, hoping to see her girlfriend there. But Miley hadn't expected to see this.

Lilly was standing by a row of lockers, a brunette girl facing her closely. Miley recognized the other girl as Joannie, the incredibly rude tomboy who shared some of her classes and liked making fun of her. Lilly and Joannie seemed to be deep in conversation and the brunette put her hand on Lilly's elbow. They were standing incredibly close and Miley felt her stomach turn.

Joannie tucked a stray strand of hair behind Lilly's ear with her free hand and then cupped the blonde's cheek. Lilly wasn't moving away and Miley gritted her teeth. Why wasn't Lilly punching that bitch's lights out? Where was Luann when she needed her to punch someone's lights out? Joannie leaned in as if to kiss the blonde. Miley thought she might throw up. Lilly turned her head before Joannie got too close and her eyes met Miley's across the hallway. She knew she was in trouble.

Miley turned on her heel and walked away, the look on her face nearly breaking Lilly's heart. The blonde spun away from Joannie with a glare and rushed after her girlfriend. She caught up with Miley easily enough, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"Miley," she said pleadingly. What kind of bad timing had she fallen prey to? Why hadn't she just punched stupid Joannie in the face?

The brunette considered just ignoring her girlfriend or telling her to go away, but she was too hurt and angry. She spun around to face the blonde, "What the hell was that, Lilly? Your other girlfriend?"

Lilly clenched her jaw, unsure of who she was the most mad at. Joannie for putting her in that position, herself for not walking away or Miley for assuming she'd cheat on her. "Oh come on, that's not fair, Miley. I would never cheat on you; I don't know **what** Joannie was thinking."

"Yeah? I think I know what she was thinking and you didn't seem to mind."

"Look, whatever was between Joannie and me is in the past. You're my girlfriend now, not her. Yeah, I should've stopped her quicker, but I was too shocked," Lilly said, trying to defend herself. She **had** been shocked by Joannie's actions, but her mind had been screaming at her that Joannie was not Miley. Joannie's touch had felt awful and wrong, but she just hadn't been quick enough.

Miley narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean 'it's in the past'?"

Lilly's eyes widened when she realized what she'd said. She hadn't told Miley about Joannie mainly because she hadn't wanted trouble and in all honesty, she would have liked to forget all about her relationship with Joannie. Now, Lilly knew, she had no choice but to tell the truth. "Joannie and I dated, like a year ago. It wasn't anything serious and I broke it off with her long before I met you. I have no idea why she was suddenly all over me, but I told her I was with you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Miley's voice was soft, which to Lilly was much worse than if the girl was yelling at her. Then again, this was probably the angriest she had ever seen Miley.

Lilly sighed, "I don't know…it didn't seem that important and I knew you didn't like her and I know she picks on you and I didn't want you to read more into it. Please Miley, there's nothing going on; you know I would never cheat on you."

Miley looked into the blonde's eyes. Lilly sounded sincere and the brunette wanted nothing more than to believe her, but when did things ever work out in her favor? She averted her eyes, "I don't know that. Maybe Luann was right."

She moved to walk away, but Lilly grabbed her wrist, angry now herself. "Hey, don't you dare make excuses now. I thought you knew me, enough to know I'd never do that to you. But if you wanna make false assumptions like your sister, then fine, go ahead, but I won't stick around for it."

Lilly turned and walked away, leaving Miley standing in the hallway with tears in her eyes. She wanted to look back so badly, wanted to turn around and wrap her arms around the brunette, but the anger forced her to keep walking. As she stepped into the cool afternoon air her words replayed over and over in her head and Lilly realized she had no idea whether she had just broken up with her girlfriend.


	17. The Fire Made Us Whole

I couldn't leave you all hanging for too long, thinking they're broken up...and I'm happy to say no one has stoned me, yet. I'm going to try and keep updating twice a week like I've been doing, but I'm heading into the homestretch of the semester and it might be a bit harder to get updates out with everything that's coming due. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed, especially those that do it continuously, your words are my inspiration ;)

* * *

**Chapter 17 – The Fire Made Us Whole**

"No."

"Luann."

"No. I don't think you understand just how much I mean that. You are not coming into this room. You are not going to talk to my sister. You are not going to as much as look at her. You understand that?" Luann said, voice laced with barely restrained anger.

Lilly balled her fists. Luann had been acting like some sort of crazed bodyguard to Miley for the past day and a half, not even letting the blonde within spitting distance of her sister. "This is between me and Miley, Luann. Now let me talk to my girlfriend."

Luann shut the bedroom door behind her and crossed her arms, "Oh, so now she's your girlfriend again? What's Joannie gonna think?"

The blonde rolled her eyes, "Just let me talk to Miley."

"You know what pisses me off? I mean, first of all, you got a little girlfriend on the side…that really pisses me off. Then you let Miley see…that makes me doubly pissed off. And to top it all of, for some reason my sister feels **guilty** for this shit **you** pulled…that just makes me furious."

"One, I don't **have** a girlfriend other than Miley and two, Miley didn't see anything because nothing happened! And she should know nothing happened because I'd never cheat on her, but your constant negativity has corrupted her mind," Lilly said, getting fed up with Luann. She just wanted to talk to Miley. She just wanted her girlfriend back. Nearly two days without the brunette had left a gaping hole in her chest that she needed to fix.

Luann scoffed, "So now it's my fault you cheated on her?"

"I didn't cheat!"

"Says the cheater!"

Lilly couldn't say why she did it; had she been in any other state of mind she might have just walked away, but in her anger and despair she lunged at the brunette. Luann was only taken aback for a split-second; she'd been in enough fights to have the presence of mind not to let someone get the upper hand. Lilly jumped at her, knocking them both into the bedroom door, while trying to swing her fist at the other girl's face. Luann was too quick however, and ducked under her swing, instead tackling Lilly around the waist. They both crashed to the ground and the blonde felt the air knocked out of her lungs forcefully. Before she even had a chance to recover pain exploded in her cheek, then her chin, then her mouth. She swung blindly, trying to block Luann's blows and attempting to hit the brunette in retaliation. Lilly knew she stood no chance against Luann. She tasted blood in her mouth.

"Stop! What the **hell** are you doing?"

The blows stopped and Lilly opened her eyes to see Miley standing beside them, pulling on Luann's arms. Lilly looked at her girlfriend, grateful for the rescue, but felt horrible when she saw Miley's face. The younger brunette's eyes were all bloodshot and red-rimmed and she looked pale. Lilly knew it was her fault and looked away. Luann sat back, looking up at her sister.

"She broke your heart. I'm breaking her face."

The way she said it sounded so matter of fact Lilly would have laughed if it hadn't been **her **face Luann was talking about. She shoved Luann off of her and stood up slowly, touching her fingers to her throbbing lip. Miley looked at her, concern written on her face, but turned back to her sister.

"Luann, just…go. I'm gonna talk to Lilly."

Luann stood as well, grabbing her sister's upper arms with a pleading look, "Miles, please don't…she's just gonna hurt you again. I can't stand to see you hurt."

"Neither can she…it'll be alright," Miley said softly and moved out of her sister's grasp. She threw a quick glance at Lilly and turned to go back into the bedroom, not saying a word to the blonde.

Lilly wasn't sure whether she should follow, but the ache in her heart told her she needed to. Her face was throbbing and her lip was bleeding, but Miley was right – she couldn't stand seeing her this sad, either and she'd follow her anywhere or take a thousand punches to make it right. She threw one last glare at Luann as she walked past. The older brunette didn't look angry or mad as she'd expected, instead standing there almost dejectedly as she watched her sister disappear into the bedroom. Lilly locked eyes with her briefly before closing the bedroom door behind her, dipping the room into near darkness.

* * *

Miley sat on her bed and slid back to lean against the wall. She drew her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Lilly had followed her into the room and stood between the beds hesitantly. She seemed to consider sitting on the brunette's bed, but reconsidered, instead taking a seat on the edge of Luann's bed. Miley could tell she was in pain; a bruise was already starting to form on her cheek, though as much as she wanted to comfort the blonde, part of her felt she'd deserved what she'd gotten.

Lilly shifted uncomfortably in the silence, watching Miley. When the younger girl didn't speak, Lilly decided to break the awkwardness, "So…you wanted to talk?"

The brunette scoffed, "No, I didn't. You wanted to talk. You wanted to talk so badly you let Luann use your face as a punching bag. So, talk."

Shifting again Lilly tried to think of what she had wanted to say earlier. In all honesty, she hadn't expected to be able to talk to Miley, so hadn't really come up with anything to say. And now her face throbbed and Miley was sitting across from her, so captivating and breathtaking the blonde stood no chance of forming a coherent thought. She stared at the brunette, wishing she could kiss her. Her silence did not go unnoticed.

"All that effort and now you're just gonna sit there?"

Lilly shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, "Miley…look, I'm really sorry for what happened."

"What happened?"

Lilly could tell the brunette was being difficult on purpose, probably schooled by Luann to make this as miserable as possible for the blonde. After her initial anger at being accused of cheating had worn off, Lilly had thought about what the scene at school might have looked like to someone else. To Miley; the sweet, loving, innocent, perpetually having her heart broken, Miley. It had really made her want to punch Joannie. It had made her want to punch herself.

"Nothing happened, Miles. Joannie…I don't know what she was trying to do…but she heard about us and came up to me and told me to dump you so we could be together," Lilly said softly. Thinking back to the scene, she should have known Joannie was up to something when she'd first cornered her after class.

Miley was silent, staring at her knees and Lilly sighed. "I know I shouldn't have let her get that close, but I was freaked out. Joannie and I didn't have the best relationship; the girl is seriously crazy. But you saw me pull away when she tried to kiss me…all I was thinking about was how I should've been there to meet you after class."

"Did you cheat on me?" Miley asked, voice quiet. She just wanted a definitive answer, once and for all. Luann would call her naïve, that anyone callous enough to cheat would obviously lie, but she wanted to trust Lilly. She had trusted Lilly, with more than she'd ever trusted anyone with.

Lilly stood up and closed the distance between them, kneeling on the bed in front of Miley. She leaned closer, until the brunette had no choice but to meet her eyes. "I did not cheat on you, Miley. I would never…I-I love you, Miley."

The brunette's eyes widened slightly at the statement, too shocked to form words. Other than Luann she could not remember anyone every saying those words to her. It was a strange feeling, a surge of warmth and pleasure, of comfort and security. Luann would probably call her naïve again, saying that just because someone loved you didn't mean they wouldn't cheat or lie or break your heart. But Miley didn't want to think Lilly would do those things. She met the blonde's eyes again.

"I umm…," she felt nervous all of a sudden, like when they'd first started dating, but without the butterflies. Could she really trust Lilly? Could she give the blonde her heart completely and know it was safe?

Lilly swallowed the panic at what she'd just said. It was the truth and she didn't regret saying it. She knew she loved Miley. She put her hands on the brunette's knees. "It's okay, Miles, you don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know how I feel…so you understand that I'd never intentionally hurt you."

Miley shook her head, "No, it's not that…I just…the only person I've ever trusted that much is Luann…"

The blonde slid her hands down Miley's shins and took the brunette's hands in hers, " Do you trust me, Miley?"

Miley looked into Lilly's eyes. She could read the sincerity in them. She'd felt the love long before this, but not until now had it been put into words. Lilly wouldn't hurt her; she'd suffered through months of Luann just to be with her, something she wouldn't have to endure if she were with Joannie. Lilly loved her. Miley nodded.

"Yeah, I trust you."

Lilly smiled and pulled the brunette into her arms, "Good, that's all that matters."

The blonde's arms wrapped around Miley and the younger girl relaxed into the embrace. She'd missed the warm feel of Lilly's body, the way her arms fit so perfectly around her, the way she smelled. Miley closed her eyes and rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. They sat in silence, reveling at the fact they had each other back. They were complete again. Miley broke the silence, mumbling against Lilly's neck.

"I love you, too, Lilly."

Lilly smiled and hugged the brunette a little tighter, pulling them both down onto the bed. Miley snuggled into her and intertwined their fingers. Lilly had forgotten how good it felt to just hold her girlfriend. How had she made it nearly two days without? Miley pushed up slightly, enough to look down at the blonde's face and leaned down to press their lips together. She was mindful of Lilly's split lip and kept the touch feather light, but nevertheless it filled her entire being with happiness. It was as if she'd been blind or deaf or asleep and suddenly everything was crystal clear, suddenly every nerve ending in her body was thrumming in excitement. She was whole again.

* * *

Susan stood, looking down at two unhappy teenagers. Lilly and Luann sat, as far apart as physically possible, on the sofa, arms crossed, pissed off looks on their faces. She knew they never would have told her about the fight if it hadn't been for the very obvious bruises on Lilly's face. She sighed heavily and turned when she heard the creaking of the stairs.

Miley stood at the bottom of the staircase, looking just as unhappy as the other two, "Are they gonna get grounded?"

"Miley, please go back upstairs. This is between Luann and Lilly and I," Susan said, trying to keep her anger under control. All three of them deserved a big ass-whooping in her opinion; grounding was really the least of their worries.

"But…we were supposed to go to the dance next week," Miley said softly, glancing at her sister and girlfriend sitting on the sofa.

Susan suppressed another sigh and gave the younger brunette a stern look, "I said 'Upstairs. Now.', Miley. Don't test my patience."

"But that's not fair!"

Susan had no idea why they weren't listening to her all of a sudden. Fighting each other, yelling at each other and now back talking…she'd had enough. She was at the staircase in a split-second and grabbed Miley's arm, moving her towards the stairs. "Go to your room, right now. Do **not** let me see you come out again. Is that understood?"

Miley looked at her with wide, fearful eyes, but nodded. She pulled out of Susan's grasp almost forcefully and rushed up the stairs as fast as she was able. Susan heard a door slam upstairs and sighed, rubbing a hand across her forehead. This was definitely not going according to plan. She tried to shake the image of Miley's scared face from her mind.

As soon as she turned back around, she was faced with an angry Luann, "Don't you dare hurt my sister!"

"Luann, sit down and be quiet. Miley's fine, but neither of you are too old to be put over my knee, so I suggest you listen," Susan said, her voice calm but angry. Luann opened her mouth as if to say something, but sat down instead, glaring. Susan nodded, "Good. Now will you explain to me why the two of you were fighting?"

"Lilly cheated on Miley."

"I did not cheat!"

"Just 'cause you got her brainwashed doesn't mean **I** believe you, Blondie."

"Well, I don't care what you think, Luann."

Susan felt as if her head were ready to explode. "Quiet! Both of you!" They fell silent, though continued to glare at each other. "We do not tolerate fighting in this household, for any reason. Luann, Miley does not need you to fight her battles for her and Lilly, you should know better than this. You are both grounded."

Lilly clenched her teeth, mad. She'd promised Miley they'd go to the school dance next week. She'd planned to take her girlfriend to the movies or to dinner or something, and now she couldn't even do that. All because of stupid Luann. "For how long?"

"Until I decide you're not, how's that sound?"

Neither girl spoke, maybe having finally learned their lesson. Susan took a deep breath, just wanting this to be over. "Alright, now both of you can go muck out the horse stalls. And I don't want to hear either of you saying or doing anything other than utter cooperation, is that clear?"

They nodded, looking anything but happy. She waved them off and the two girls grudgingly left the living room to go start their job. Susan watched them go and shook her head. She really wished she could've let Robbie deal with this; he was a much better disciplinarian than she. Looking up at the staircase, Susan slowly made her way over. She hesitated, but knew she better talk to Miley sooner, rather than later.

* * *

Susan knocked on the door, but received no answer. She tried the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. If any of the other kids had been mad at her and sent to their rooms, they would certainly have locked the door, she knew. The room was poorly lit, curtains drawn over the single window, but she easily saw Miley curled up on her bed against the far wall. The girl didn't move as Susan entered, though the woman could tell she was crying.

"Miley," she said softly, approaching the bed.

The girl almost shot up at hearing her name and pushed back against the headboard. Tears were streaming down her face, eyes red and her chin quivered. Her breathing was hitched as she looked at Susan, eyes full of fear.

"I-I'm sorry…I'm s-sorry."

Susan stepped up to the bed, shocked to find the girl in such a state. Had she hurt her somehow? Had she said something specific that set Miley off? "Miley…"

"Please…please d-don't s-send me back…I'm s-sorry." She was nearly impossible to understand through her sobs and it took Susan a few seconds to decipher her words. Her heart dropped once she realized why Miley was so upset.

Susan sat on the edge of the bed facing the distraught girl and put one hand on her leg to get Miley to listen to her. She was starting to worry about the girl's breathing. "Miley, honey, I need you to calm down. No one's sending you back. Please take some deep breaths, hon."

Miley drew more shuddering breaths, one hand weakly reaching for Susan's arm. The woman noticed her hand and scooted closer to Miley, pulling her against her chest. Miley fell into her embrace, her body shaking and Susan wrapped her arms around the girl tightly. She ran her hands across Miley's back soothingly, trying to calm her down.

"Miley, you're not going anywhere if I can help it. You're my daughter, in all the ways that count, and I love you," Susan said, feeling her own throat tighten. Miley seemed to have calmed down some at last, though she had not moved from her position in Susan's arms.

"I'm sorry," the brunette girl said softly, her voice sounding rough, but she had stopped crying, at least.

Susan hugged her a little tighter, before pulling away and meeting Miley's eyes, "Honey, it's alright. We don't want you back talking to us, but that doesn't mean we don't know it will still sometimes happen. You're all teenagers; you're meant to drive us crazy sometimes."

She smiled at Miley, wiping her tears away. Miley managed a weak smile in return. She'd been sure they were going to send her back, Luann, too, probably for fighting with Lilly and she'd been terrified. She hadn't wanted to lose the only real family she'd ever really known. Taking a deep breath, she released it, shakily. Susan had called Miley her daughter and she had meant it. The terror finally lifted and she took another deep breath. Susan took her hands.

"Are you alright, Miley?"

The girl nodded and wiped her face on her sleeve. She felt almost embarrassed about her breakdown, but in her mind she had ruined it all. She should have known Susan and Robbie wouldn't just kick her out for being a little disobedient. Of course, all she had ever known before was punishment for disobedience and though she knew her foster parents would never hurt her, her mind still had drawn its own conclusions.

"Alright, why don't you come downstairs and help me with dinner?" Susan asked, standing up.

Miley nodded again, not trusting her voice just yet. She let Susan pull her up and the woman wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they exited the room. Miley felt her world right itself again.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Susan looked up and snatched the papers out of Robbie Ray's hands, but not before he'd gotten a good look at them. He sighed and sat in a chair next to her. She refused to meet his eyes, but eventually his stare got to her and she turned her head. He motioned to the paperwork spread before her, all in various stages of being filled out.

"You know they're not eligible, right?"

She nodded, "I know."

He rubbed the back of his head, confused, "Then why are you filling out adoption paperwork?"

Susan glanced down at the paperwork and back at her husband. She sighed, "Something told me to. One day, it'll be the right time. Those girls are our daughters, Robbie Ray, and I know you feel it, too."

Robbie Ray inclined his head as if to agree with her, "I know, darlin', I just don't want you to get your hopes up. Yours or theirs."

"I can deal. I'm not telling them about this."

"I thought you were looking into their relatives?"

Susan sighed, "I did. No aunts and uncles, all the grandparents are dead…Robbie, I know this might likely never happen, but…I just felt like I had to do it. Maybe I just had to do **something.**"

He nodded and stood, before leaning down to kiss her forehead. Robbie Ray walked out, leaving her to fill out the adoption paperwork in silence.


	18. The Cold Trickled In

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. And **lita rocks**, I promise to leave Lilly's face unharmed from now on...I think. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 18 – The Cold Trickled In**

"So, Oliver, you're a pretty brave guy then?"

Oliver turned his head to look at the blonde girl currently setting the table with Miley. He was a lot less uncomfortable in the Stewart house now, though mainly because Robbie Ray wasn't home. The two parents had taken Amanda out to a movie to leave Lilly, Miley, Luann and Oliver alone to have their Valentine's Day dinner. He would have preferred taking his girlfriend to an actual restaurant, but since she was still grounded, this was better than nothing.

"Uh, what?"

Lilly leaned against the table and crossed her arms, smirking at him, "I mean, dating Luann…wow…I don't know how you do it."

Miley gave her one of those looks, but Lilly merely grinned, watching the boy. They'd hung out a few times over the past few months, mostly some very uncomfortable double dates, but he was alright. She still couldn't understand why he was dating Luann.

Oliver smiled tensely, rubbing a hand across the back of his head. "She's a handful, but I love her," he laughed nervously, watching the doorway for his girlfriend.

"You're smooth," Lilly complimented, turning when something hard hit her in the back.

She picked the orange off the table and threw a glare at Luann, who was entering the kitchen. The older brunette ignored her and walked straight up to her boyfriend, kissing him on the lips. It lasted for a good several seconds, making Lilly a bit mad. If Miley were to kiss her like that in front of her sister, Lilly would be dead and Miley would be locked up. Finally Luann turned around and rolled her eyes at the glares she was receiving from the other two girls.

"You promised, Luann," Miley said, voice stern. She moved next to Lilly so their hips were touching and crossed her arms as well.

"Fine, just for tonight I will pretend I don't want to beat your girlfriend's face in," Luann said, almost sounding annoyed. Miley narrowed her eyes at her sister.

Lilly cocked her head, "And I'll pretend I don't hate your sister's guts."

"Great!" Miley said with forced enthusiasm, throwing her hands up. Maybe this was the best she could ask for. With both Lilly and Luann grounded indefinitely they had already missed the school dance and had been worried about missing their first Valentine's Day together, as well. At least Robbie and Susan had been nice enough to give the four the house to themselves for a few hours.

They sat at the kitchen table, gathered around their take out dinner. Miley and Lilly sat together on one side with Luann and Oliver across from them. They held hands while they ate and though they weren't overtly conspicuous, Luann could still tell, judging by the looks on her face. For once, however, she did not say anything.

Oliver, perhaps being the most nervous, talked the most during dinner, though he and Lilly bantered back and forth multiple times. Miley had always liked Oliver, she thought he was good for Luann, and was glad Lilly was getting along with him. Now if only Luann and Lilly could get along, her life would be near perfect. Even Luann seemed to relax some during dinner, making jokes at everyone's expense but her own, though she never stepped over the line like she normally did trying to piss people off. She even mostly left Lilly alone, much to Miley's surprise. To top it all off, Luann helped clear the table after dinner without a word of complaint. Miley remembered how much she had missed Oliver's positive influence on her sister.

"Alright, we're gonna go up to the room. You two stay down here and…watch 'The Little Mermaid' or something, okay?" Luann said when the table was cleared and the dishes put away and took Oliver's hand.

Miley gaped at her, "You are not going upstairs to have sex, are you?"

Luann rolled her eyes at her, but the redness of Oliver's face gave them away. Miley stared at them, dumbstruck, and walked up to her sister. "I can't believe you! You are such a hypocrite. Lilly and I are going to her room and don't you dare say a word."

"What?" Lilly's face drained of all color when she heard Miley's words and she didn't dare risk a glance at Luann. She wasn't sure whether Miley really had just insinuated to her crazy sister that they might be doing anything Luann wouldn't approve of. Before Luann had a chance to think of the right words, Miley had already grabbed Lilly's hand and was leading her towards the staircase. Lilly didn't look back, but she heard Oliver telling Luann just to let them go.

Miley practically threw herself onto Lilly's bed and sighed heavily. Lilly closed her bedroom door and turned on a small light. She sat on the bed next to her girlfriend, apprehensive. Miley was looking at her funnily, but when they heard the door down the hall shut, she made a face.

"Ugh, will you please turn on some music? I do **not** want to hear that."

Lilly mimicked her face at the thought and turned on her stereo. She looked back down at the brunette and took her hands. Lilly's eyes scanned across Miley's body and she swallowed hard. They hadn't exactly dressed up for dinner at home, but Miley was wearing a tight tank top and form-fitting jeans that made Lilly's heart beat a little faster. She thought about what her girlfriend had said to Luann and grew nervous again.

"What's wrong, Lilly?" Miley asked softly. Lilly met her eyes again, her breath catching in her throat. Miley was so beautiful it made her insides ache. She had no words to describe how much she wanted the brunette, but how much she didn't want **this**.

"Miley, I…don't get me wrong, you are absolutely beautiful and gorgeous and I'd love nothing more than to be with you, but…I don't want you to jump into something you're not ready for. A-and I don't want our first time together to be something to make your sister mad with," Lilly said softly, eyes never leaving the brunette's.

Miley furrowed her brow and sat up, "You thought I wanted to have sex, now?"

Lilly looked at her confused. Wasn't that what she had been insinuating earlier? "That's what it sounded like, yeah."

The brunette grinned, "I only said that to make Luann mad. But what you said was really sweet. Thanks, Lilly, for wanting to wait 'till I'm ready. I love you."

Miley moved forward and wrapped her arms around the blonde. Lilly hugged her girlfriend close to her body, feeling both relief and slight disappointment flood through her. She hadn't wanted Miley to make a rash decision, but she was a teenager after all.

"For you, I'd wait forever, Miley."

The younger girl laughed, before pulling back. She met Lilly's eyes with a grin, "You are such a cheese ball."

"But you like it," Lilly said, making a face at her, before leaning in to capture the brunette's lips with her own. She gently pushed Miley backwards onto the bed, sliding on top of her. She nipped at the other girl's bottom lip, before kissing her way down Miley's neck. Just because they weren't going to go all the way, didn't mean they couldn't practice everything else. Miley pulled her back into a kiss and soon they were both lost in the other.

* * *

Luann eyed the two people in front of her with narrowed eyes. She shifted to block as much of her sister as possible and dropped her backpack to the ground. Miley grabbed the back of her sweatshirt. Luann looked at the large boy blocking her way and back to the girl by his side. She balled her fists.

"Can't fight your own battles, Joannie? Are you paying him in sexual favors or is he not that desperate, yet?"

Joannie lunged forward, but did not attack, perhaps remembering the last time she had fought the brunette. After Lilly had shot her down for that half-wit, Joannie had cornered the girl one day after class, ready to force her to break up with Lilly. Unfortunately, she had mistaken Luann for Miley and had been on the receiving end of a severe beating. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

"That's my brother, dumbass," she shot back, eyeing the two girls. She was going to enjoy watching Luann getting her ass kicked and on top of that, she'd finally get her revenge on Miley for Lilly shooting her down.

Luann took a slight step back, reaching for Miley's arm behind her to ensure her sister stayed there. Alone she would have taken them both on, consequences be damned. Even two of them wouldn't be a problem for her, she could hold her own, but there was no way she could protect Miley if they both attacked them. For once Luann wished a teacher were around, or the principal, or anyone really whom she hadn't pissed off enough not to help them.

She turned to look at the boy. He seemed mad. "Do you normally only fight girls? Does it make you feel more like a man?"

He made a weird noise and grabbed for her, snatching the front of her sweatshirt in his hand. "Maybe you should've left my sister alone!"

Luann held onto Miley's arm even as he tried to yank her forward. She wanted to break his arm. She wanted to break Joannie in half. Why was this the one time Miley wasn't attached to Lilly by the hip? How was she going to protect her sister from these two idiots? She was starting to worry.

"Maybe you should leave **my** sisters alone."

She turned at the voice and saw Jackson suddenly standing next to her. She furrowed her brow. Had he just said what she thought he'd said?

"And what, **you're** gonna stop me?" the taller boy laughed, looking at Jackson.

Jackson grinned, "No, but I'm going to let Luann break all your bones and hold off your little sister until Luann is done with you. I think I can handle Joannie."

Luann looked at him and grinned as well. She really liked his plan, but then remembered Miley behind her. "Where's Lilly?"

Jackson motioned to the side with his head and Luann actually felt palpable relief at seeing the blonde. At least she knew she could get Miley away without getting hurt and that was all she cared about. Lilly reached them and took Miley's hand, pulling her behind Luann and Jackson. Suddenly, faced with four opponents instead of only two, Joannie and her brother seemed somewhat unsure.

"Go ahead, Palumbo, I can't wait to break your face," Luann said, smirking. She knew she'd be in so much trouble if she got caught fighting at school, but no one tried to corner her, and especially Miley, and get away with it.

"Yeah, and I can't wait to watch," Jackson said from her side.

Joannie narrowed her eyes, jaw clenched. "This isn't over, Luann." She turned on her heel and walked away, her brother following after throwing, what was supposed to be, a menacing glare at Luann.

The brunette laughed as they retreated, feeling immense relief. She turned to Jackson. "I never thought I'd say this, but…Jackson, you're a lifesaver."

"He's got his uses," Lilly shrugged, checking Miley's face for any indication she wasn't feeling well.

"That's right," Jackson said, voice full of self-admiration, "Jackson Stewart: Lifesaver!"

Luann rolled her eyes and grabbed her backpack off the ground. She followed the others out of the school, not even caring about her sister and Lilly holding hands.

* * *

Miley snuggled deeper into Lilly, lying across her lap on the sofa. The blonde had one arm around Miley's shoulders, the other holding the remote control. She was flipping rapidly through the channels and the brunette nudged her in the side.

"Can't you just decide on something?" She'd just wanted to watch a movie, but Lilly didn't like any of her suggestions.

"Nothing good is on," Lilly shrugged, leaning her head back. Why was she watching TV when they had the house to themselves for once? Jackson was at work, her mother, father, Amanda and Luann were all at the store, leaving just her and Miley, all alone. "We could make out."

Miley sighed in exaggeration, "Finally a good suggestion." She grabbed the front of Lilly's shirt and pulled her down, but just when their lips met, the phone rang. Both teens groaned. Miley moved to get up and walked around the sofa to answer it. Lilly just stared at the TV, hoping it was no one important and they could go back to making out. She only barely heard Miley's voice in the background.

"Hello?...yeah…yeah, it's me…no…out…I…no…yes, ma'am…"

It wasn't until she heard the inflection in Miley's voice that Lilly turned to listen to what she was saying. Her back was turned, but Lilly could tell from how tightly she was clutching the phone, something wasn't right. She stood up.

"…okay…w-when?...no, no, I-I'm not…I'm…yes, ma'am…I will…no, ma'am…" Miley hung up the phone without saying goodbye. Lilly stepped in front of her, trying to figure out who was on the phone. The brunette sat the phone back in the cradle with shaking hands. Her face was drained of all color, chin quivering, though she was clenching her jaw. She would not meet Lilly's eyes.

The blonde took a step closer, worry etched on her face. She had no idea what was wrong. Miley reached behind her, one hand on the end table as if to steady herself and suddenly she was sinking to the ground. Lilly wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist just before the girl's knees hit the ground. Miley fell like a dead weight against her, though her hands clutched at Lilly's sweatshirt. She was breathing rhythmically, though much too fast.

"Miley? Miley, what's wrong?" Lilly said softly, the worry growing exponentially with every second.

Miley did not speak, burying her head in the crook of Lilly's neck. The blonde heaved her up, trying to maneuver her back onto the sofa. Miley mostly walked with her, but faltered multiple times and Lilly had to hold up nearly her entire weight. She tried to sit the brunette on the sofa, but Miley would not let go of her sweatshirt, would not move her head. Lilly felt wetness against her skin and swallowed the lump in her throat. She let herself fall back into the sofa cushions, Miley now sitting on her lap.

"Miles, please tell me what's wrong," Lilly begged, hating the helpless feeling encompassing her.

Miley's whole body was trembling, but she made no sound. Lilly rubbed her hands across the girl's back, but it didn't seem to calm her down. Lilly shifted, trying to get a look at the girl's face. Miley would not release the death grip on her sweater, would not move.

"Miley, Miley," the blonde chanted, not knowing what to do. She could hear Miley's shaky breaths, but the brunette made no sounds otherwise. Lilly did not know what else to do. She called Luann.

She hardly waited for the other girl to pick up, before speaking, "Luann, come quick. Something's wrong."

She hung up before hearing the brunette's reply. Maybe she should've given her more to go on, but Lilly herself didn't know what was wrong. Her words would be enough to get Luann to bully anyone into dropping what they were doing and coming back here. Lilly looked back to the girl in her arms. Miley had not moved, Lilly's neck still slick with her girlfriend's tears.

"Miley, tell me how to help you, please," she said, forcing herself to push the nearing panic away. Miley did not respond and Lilly could do nothing but hug her girlfriend tighter. It felt like forever to her, sitting in silence, before the front door burst open.

Luann was on them in a split-second, practically pulling Miley from Lilly's lap and pushing her into the sofa cushions sideways. One of her hands flew to Miley's neck, checking her pulse. She squeezed herself onto the tiny bit of space between Miley's legs and the edge of the sofa.

"Miley, if you don't snap out of it, I'll have to knock you out."

Lilly looked at her weirdly, but decided not to say anything. She noticed her parents in the living room for the first time. Her mother was coming over to them, while her father was leading Amanda up the stairs. Lilly turned back to the twins, relieved to no longer be alone with Miley in her current state.

Luann's forceful presence seemed to have a slight calming effect on her sister, much to Lilly's surprise. The younger brunette reached weakly for her sister's wrist and finally turned her head to face her. The look in Miley's eyes made Luann want to cry. Fear, panic, something she hadn't seen in her eyes in a while.

"Lu…" Miley breathed, trying to get herself back under control. Luann looked at her questioningly. "M-mother called…she's o-out. She g-got out of jail."

Out of all things possible, Luann had not been expecting that. She felt like she'd just been punched in the gut. Her stomach rebelled. She shook her head. "How's that even possible?"

"She s-said…she's taking us h-home…b-back where we belong," Miley said, the tears running down her cheeks anew.

Luann shook her head again, tears pooling in her eyes, as well. "No…no way. We're not going back," Luann said vehemently, turning to look at Susan next to them, "Mom, tell her we're not going back."

Susan was still too shocked from Miley's words to really register what Luann was saying. She'd felt her own heart break hearing that the twins might be taken from her, for what they'd have to go through and for herself, at losing her daughters. She sat on the armrest right behind Miley and Luann and put her hands on both their shoulders. Miley was still trembling, her face streaked with tears.

"I'm going to call the social worker first. No one is leaving just, yet, alright? And I want you girls to know, no matter what happens, we will fight for you," Susan said seriously. She brushed a hand across each twin's hair, then looked at the smaller brunette, "Miley, does your chest hurt? Do we need to go to the hospital?"

Miley shook her head, though less vehemently than she normally would at the mention of a hospital. The panic had just paralyzed her. Susan's comforting presence was doing wonders to calm her down. It wasn't that Lilly's embrace and words and love didn't normally make her feel better, but this time she'd needed the definitive authority of an adult to tell her it was okay.

Susan kissed the top of her head, then Luann's and lastly Lilly's as she stood up, "I'm going to call the social worker. Miley, I want you to relax. Lilly, Luann, make sure she relaxes."

The woman left the room and the three teens were left in awkward and tense silence. After a few moments, Luann moved to squeeze into the space between Miley and the armrest, leaning back. She nudged her sister. "Lay down, Miles."

Miley looked at her sister and then at Lilly. The blonde moved further down the sofa to make room, but Miley stretched out across the whole couch, resting her upper body in Lilly's lap. She draped her legs across Luann's and turned to bury her face against Lilly's belly. Luann looked at them, a cold, hard look on her face. Lilly wasn't sure whether it was directed at her or the news they'd just received and decided to remain silent. After a few moments, Luann stood, gently lifting her sister's legs off her lap. She looked down at the other two, her expression unreadable.

"I'll go make some tea."

It was the most unexpected statement and Lilly could only blink at the brunette. Luann leaned down and kissed Miley's head, as well, before walking off towards the kitchen. Lilly had a feeling she was just trying to listen in on her mom's conversation with the social worker, but she didn't care. She hugged Miley closer to her body. If she had any say in all this, she'd never let go of her girlfriend.


	19. Hannibal Ante Portas

I know everyone's getting worried about what's going to happen, but just remember, things have to get worse before they can get better. And, after all, there is no Snoefic without a good heaping of drama ;)

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Hannibal Ante Portas**

It was like a meeting between two warring parties and she was the enemy, surrounded. They stared at her, all with varying degrees of hope and hostility. Loreen couldn't really blame them; her presence signified either bad news or good news, however one was inclined. A lot of children waited for this visit from her, they sought it out. The looks on the twins' faces told her this was not the case here. The twins sat on the loveseat next to each other, while Loreen sat on the recliner on the other side of the living room. It was as if she'd been isolated from everyone else.

"Could you just get on with it?" Luann said, voice harsh. She had her arms crossed in a defensive posture, clearly preparing herself for whatever news she was about to receive. Robbie and Susan were perched on the armrests on either side of the twins, like wild lions protecting their cubs.

"Yes, I'm sorry again for the mix-up. Your mother was not supposed to be released until tomorrow and someone dropped the ball on informing you," Loreen started.

"Yes, your competence is amazing. Why are you here?"

Loreen glanced at Luann, suppressing a sigh. "As you know, your mother has been released from jail. For her plea bargain the DA had laid out some requirements for her to get custody back. We've been following her closely and have decided that she's met all the requirements. As soon as she has a place to live and a job, you'll be reunited with your mother."

The immediate silence following her words was deafening. The four people across from her seemed frozen in time, not one facial expression, not a single sound. Then, in the blink of an eye, Miley was off the sofa, Luann hardly a split-second behind her. The front door banged shut. Susan slid off the armrest onto the loveseat, a shell-shocked expression on her face.

"How could you let that woman have her children back?" Susan's voice was soft, tinged with incredulity. Loreen did not respond; it hadn't really sounded like a question to be answered, anyway.

Susan got up without a glance at the social worker and walked to the front door. Lilly reached it just before her, coming from the kitchen where she'd been waiting anxiously. Together they pushed through, stepping onto the front porch. The cold winter air greeted them immediately and Lilly wrapped her arms around herself. Susan looked out at the front yard, heart breaking.

There was still a slight drizzle and most of the yard was nothing but mud. The twins were kneeling in the middle of the yard. Miley's face was buried in her hands, her body shaking visibly with sobs. Luann had her arms wrapped around her sister. The older brunette was talking into Miley's ear, as if to calm her down, but she was clearly crying herself.

Susan stepped off the porch and walked up to the twins. The rain was cool against her skin. She squatted down next to them, a hand on each of their shoulders. For the first time she could make out Luann's words and swallowed the lump in her throat. A rapid chant of 'It's okay' was leaving the brunette's lips and she was rocking them back and forth. Both their hair and faces were wet, their clothes muddy. Miley's sobbing tore at Susan's heart and she brushed a hand through the girl's hair.

"Miley, it's okay hun…please just calm down," she said, surprised at how shaky her own voice was. Lilly squatted down next to her mother, her hands on Miley's back. She looked at Susan, teary-eyed and asking for help.

Luann pulled back slightly to look at Susan, though her arms never ceased their rocking motion. "Her heart's going crazy…do something, please."

Luann's begging tone tore at Susan even more. She wrapped her own arm around Miley and Luann pulled away, sitting back on her heels. Susan pulled Miley sideways against her, rocking just like Luann had done to try and calm her down. Her breathing was starting to sound wheezy, worrying Susan. She looked at Luann, who was crying nearly as hard as her sister, worry clearly etched in her face. Susan turned to Lilly.

"Hun, please go get your dad."

Lilly was off without a word, leaving the three of them kneeling in the mud, the drizzling rain slowly soaking their clothes. Susan wrapped her other arm around Luann, pulling her closer. The girl might normally be very reserved and not touchy feely, but she looked absolutely miserable and Susan herself needed to feel both of them. It wasn't long before she heard the front door open and footsteps in the muddy grass. Robbie stopped in front of her and she looked up at him. His expression was somber.

"Robbie, can you please take Miley inside?"

He simply nodded and squatted down, taking the crying girl from her. He lifted her easily into his arms and walked back towards the house with her, Lilly following closely. Susan squeezed Luann's shoulders, pulling the girl up with her. Together they walked back to the house.

* * *

It felt like the wake after a funeral. Hushed whispers, sad faces, no one daring to say or do the wrong thing. Miley lay, muddy clothes and all, on the sofa, crying herself into a stupor. Luann was pacing rapidly back and forth, biting her nails, tear tracks visible on her face. Lilly sat by Miley's side, an arm over her waist, running her fingers through the brunette's hair, wearing a look of abject despair. Robbie Ray, not knowing what to do exactly, was strumming lightly on his guitar, hoping the slow music might have a calming effect. Susan had gone upstairs a while ago, talking on the phone.

Susan came down the stairs, face drawn. Robbie couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his wife so upset. He set the guitar down and leaned forward, watching her. The woman went straight to Miley, kneeling in front of the sofa to look at her. She held up a little bottle.

"Miley, I just spoke with Dr. Matthews and we're both a little worried about you being so upset. I'm gonna give you something to help calm you down, okay? It's nothing bad, it'll just make you a bit sleepy," Susan said, showing her the bottle.

"What's that?" Luann asked suspiciously, looking over Susan's shoulder. Though she knew, if she had to trust anyone with Miley, she'd trust Susan. Susan wouldn't drug Miley for some evil purposes and Luann definitely agreed with the woman that her sister needed to calm down.

Susan poured some of the liquid into a little measuring cup and held it out to Miley. The girl made no move to take it, instead lifting her head just enough for Susan to put the cup to her lips. She swallowed the liquid without comment and lay back down. Susan turned to Luann. "It's just Benadryl; she'll be fine, Lu. Why don't you sit down?"

Only Miley had ever called her Lu, but for some reason she didn't mind this time. She shook her head. There was way too much nervous energy and adrenaline and panic in her to sit still. How could she have let herself belief, again, that things would turn out alright? How could she have let Miley get so attached to these people? How could they ever go back to their mother, knowing now what a real mom was supposed to be like? She bit back the tears that just wouldn't stop, eyes on her sister.

"Go to sleep, sweet pea…it's gonna be alright," Susan said softly, brushing the tears from Miley's face.

She stood, doing the same to Luann who was right behind her. Susan sat by her husband with a heavy sigh. Robbie Ray picked his guitar back up and began playing. They all sat, lost in their own thoughts, listening to Robbie singing, while Luann still paced nervously back and forth.

Susan had no idea how long they'd sat there or how many songs Robbie had gone through when she noticed Miley had stopped shaking. Lilly turned to look at her, face unreadable.

"She's asleep."

She nodded, feeling a tiny bit of the worry ebb away. Watching Luann, she could tell the brunette was still horribly agitated. Perhaps they needed to distract her, or get her out of the house. Maybe both. She took Luann's hand as the girl walked by.

"Honey, I want **you** to calm down, too, okay? What can we do?"

"I **am** calm," Luann said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Miley's asleep now, she's fine. Do you wanna get out of the house for a bit? Maybe get some food?" Susan asked, knowing the answer already. Luann was unlikely to leave Miley for anything.

The brunette shook her head, as expected, "No, I want to make sure Miley is really okay. What if she wakes up?"

Susan squeezed her hand, forcing the girl to look at her, "I'll make you a deal. You watch over Miley for another 30 minutes or so, making sure she's really asleep and then we will go somewhere. I just want your mind off of what's going on. Deal?"

Luann hesitated, "Who's gonna stay with Miley?"

"I will," Lilly said immediately, knowing even if Luann didn't like her, the girl knew Miley would feel comfortable with her.

Luann made a face at the proposition, but sighed, "Fine."

They went back to sitting, Luann pacing, Robbie strumming on his guitar and all of them watching Miley sleeping. 30 minutes had never felt so long.

* * *

The hot water cascaded down her body, washing away the salty tears she'd cried once she'd been alone. There was a strange weight in her chest, heavy and dark, as if it had somehow sucked all light from her insides. She felt as if she might never be happy again. Of course, she knew this was an exaggeration, but she didn't think she **should** ever feel happy again. It just wasn't fair; she got this nice, calm, stable life and her girlfriend, her Miley, got trampled on again. To some degree Lilly even felt bad for Luann and that only showed her how serious the situation was.

She rinsed the last of the soap from her skin and stood under the spray with her eyes closed, letting the warm water relax her. She thought she heard a thud, but ignored it. Everyone had left the house a while ago, her parents finally having forced Luann out of the house. Lilly had spent another thirty minutes watching Miley sleep peacefully, before she decided she needed to wash off the mud and tears.

Another thud sounded right behind her and cold air suddenly chilled her body. Lilly jerked her head up, just as the shower door shut again. Miley stood before her, still fully dressed, the water drenching her clothes as she stared at Lilly. Lilly knew she probably should have been embarrassed or felt self-conscious as she stood completely naked in front of her girlfriend, but she knew right at that moment it did not matter. She reached for the brunette's hands.

"Miley, what's wrong?" Lilly knew it was a stupid question in and of itself considering the circumstances, but Miley was, after all, standing in the shower with her, fully dressed.

"Lilly, I…" Miley's voice sounded rough from all the crying and she stopped herself. She looked down at their joined hands and for the first time really realized where they were.

The blonde couldn't stand seeing the forlorn and sad look in her girlfriend's eyes, but she didn't know how to make it better. She tugged on Miley's hands gently and stepped out of the shower. Lilly pulled the brunette with her and turned off the shower, releasing Miley's hands just long enough to grab a towel to wrap around herself. She grabbed another to drape around her girlfriend's shoulders.

"Miles, you're soaked," Lilly said just to have something to say. She couldn't wrap her head around what was going on and she knew it must have been a thousand times worse for Miley.

Miley looked down at her dripping clothes and shuddered as the cold hit her. "Yeah…sorry…I don't know…"

She seemed so confused it broke Lilly's heart. She just wanted happy, smiling Miley back and now she didn't know if it would ever be possible again. Miley shivered again and Lilly pulled the towel from around the girl's shoulders.

"You better get out of those wet clothes, Miles," Lilly said, already reaching to pull on her own pajama pants. She turned around to put on her bra, not sure why she suddenly felt modest. When she turned back to face Miley, the brunette hadn't moved. She still stood, dripping, looking utterly pathetic.

"Miley," Lilly sighed, stepping up to the girl. She rubbed her hands up and down the brunette's goose bump covered arms.

Miley met Lilly's eyes. "Lilly, what…what about us?"

Lilly furrowed her brow, unsure what her girlfriend was talking about. Her hands reached for the hem of Miley's shirt. "Come on, Miles, you're gonna get sick. What do you mean 'what about us'?"

She tried tugging the shirt up, but Miley pushed her hands away. There was a desperation and urgency to her voice that stopped Lilly's ministrations, "What's gonna happen to us when I…when I go back?"

Lilly looked at her, frowning, "I still don't get it, Miley."

Miley pulled away roughly, "You're gonna be **here**, with all the girls, like Joannie and I'll be…**there**."

"It's only like a forty minute drive, Miley. We'll be okay."

The brunette shook her head and looked away, "Why would you want to put up with all that crap…when you could have all those other girls?"

Lilly stepped closer again, taking Miley's hand, "Because Miley, I love you. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Miley met the blonde's eyes, biting her lower lip. Lilly pulled her closer, not caring about Miley's wet clothes pressing against her dry skin and pants. She brushed wet strands of hair from the brunette's face and leaned in until their lips were lightly touching. Miley reciprocated by pushing back against Lilly, her tongue brushing against the blonde's.

Lilly pulled back, hands on the hem of Miley's shirt again. "Now can we get you out of these wet clothes?"

Her innuendo-laden words even elicited a weak smile from the brunette, making Lilly blush. She looked away, but nevertheless lifted Miley's shirt, peeling it off her girlfriend. Lilly's fingers danced across Miley's skin, softly and lightly. She hesitated, fingers trembling slightly as she reached for the clasp of the brunette's bra. It fell to the ground by their feet. Lilly's eyes only briefly skimmed across her girlfriend's body, hands moving to the button of Miley's pants. In any another situation this would have been erotic and romantic, but Lilly felt nothing but the need to love and care for Miley at that moment. She unbuttoned the brunette's pants, eyes meeting her girlfriend's again. It took much effort to push the wet material down Miley's legs, but eventually she succeeded. Lastly, she pulled down Miley's panties, fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of the girl's hips, making the brunette shiver.

Miley stood bare before her, their eyes locked. Lilly picked the towel back up and gently dried off her girlfriend. She grabbed her oversized t-shirt off the counter and pulled it over Miley's head. With a soft smile, she pecked the brunette's lips again and took her hand. She led her girlfriend out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, pulling the covers back on the bed. Miley hesitated.

"Come on, you look dead tired, Miles. Do you wanna sleep in your own bed instead?"

Miley shook her head and slid under the covers, Lilly right behind her. Miley turned to face her. "Lilly…"

Lilly brushed her fingertips across the brunette's cheek, "Yeah?"

"I love you. I'm gonna miss you."

Lilly swallowed the lump in her throat and leaned down to kiss Miley's forehead, "You'll be seeing me so often you're gonna get sick of me. Now go to sleep, Miles."

Miley turned into her, burying her face against Lilly. The brunette's arms slipped around Lilly's bare waist, making the blonde shiver. She hugged Miley tighter against her. She only hoped that everything she'd been telling her girlfriend was going to be the truth. She didn't think she could handle being away from Miley for such prolonged periods of time. Lilly waited until the brunette was asleep again until she let her tears fall anew.


	20. Man Is A Wolf

Thanks for your reviews everyone. I've noticed you all seem a little upset about the turn of events, but not to worry - I'm sure everything will turn out alright. For those of you waiting for some horrible accident to befall their mother, I guess you'' just have to wait and see ;)

* * *

**Chapter 20 – Man Is A Wolf**

She wasn't going to cry again, she had promised herself that, at least. She'd suffered a constant barrage of tears over the past three days, alternating between abject terror and hope. But now she knew Luann had been right; hope wasn't for people like them. Luann had warned her months ago not to let herself get attached and back then she hadn't cared. She had just wanted something, someone, maybe love most of all and now she had found it. How could she let it go?

Miley clenched her jaw, fingers wrapped tightly around the straps of her backpack. Luann stood beside her, face stoic, but Miley could tell by the twitch in her jaw she wasn't okay. It wasn't raining, though the sky was dark and cloudy, as if it could judge their mood and had adjusted accordingly. Miley inhaled deeply, the cool, clear air burning her lungs. She could now see the non-descript government sedan in the distance and forced her heart to remain calm. Susan stepped in front of them, her eyes betraying the anguish she was feeling.

"I want you to take these," she said, voice carried away by the wind. She pushed the cell phones they'd gotten for the girls into their hands. Miley took it without question, but Luann gave her that look that meant she was about to argue. "No arguments, Luann. I want to know you can call us if you need us or that you can call for help if necessary. It's a mom thing."

She might be losing the girls, but Susan could not help feeling she was their mom. She wondered briefly if the twins' mother had felt this way when they'd been taken, but couldn't wrap her head around what must go through that woman's head. Susan knew she'd do anything to keep them with her, she couldn't understand someone who so readily put that in jeopardy time after time. She stroked a hand across both their heads, tears pricking the back of her eyes.

"If you need us, you call, okay? I don't care what time it is. I'm gonna worry about you."

Luann adjusted her backpack, the extreme display of emotion making her uncomfortable. "We'll be fine, mom, don't cry."

When had she taken to calling Susan 'mom'? She couldn't even remember and cursed Miley for rubbing off on her. Susan, however, didn't seem to mind and hugged her tightly. Luann had to admit it felt nice and comforting, secure, it felt like love and she clenched her jaw. When she pulled away tears were filling Susan's eyes and Luann turned her head. Susan's hug with Miley lasted much longer and she couldn't have said who was more desperate to hang on.

The sedan pulled into the driveway and a finality settled over everyone. Robbie Ray and even Jackson hugged the girls and presented a united front of disdain against Loreen as she stepped out of the car. Miley bit her lip to keep from crying. Suddenly Lilly was in front of her and she threw herself into her girlfriend's arms with a ferocious desperation. It was getting harder not to cry. Lilly was so warm and she smelled so good and Miley wanted nothing more than to stay in her arms forever.

"I don't wanna leave, Lilly," Miley said, voice trembling. She could see Loreen standing just a few feet away now, talking to Susan and Robby.

"I wish there was a way I could keep you with me, Miley, I really do," Lilly sighed, swallowing her own tears. They'd promised each other they wouldn't cry to make it easier, but it was just impossible. How could she lose Miley when she'd just found her?

Miley buried her face in the crook of Lilly's neck, "You could marry me or something."

Lilly chuckled despite herself and pulled back just enough to press a kiss to Miley's lips, "Sure thing, let's go right now."

They rested their forehead against one another's, eyes closed. Miley cupped Lilly's cheeks with both hands and kissed her softly, "I love you, Lilly."

Lilly covered Miley's hands with her own and pulled them away from her face, intertwining their fingers, "And I love you, Miley."

"Miley!" Something yanked on the brunette's backpack, pulling her backwards slightly. Miley ignored her sister, leaning in for another kiss. Their lips touched softly, feather light, tongues brushing briefly against one another's before Luann pulled Miley away. She wore an angry expression on her face, but Miley didn't break eye contact with Lilly. Their hands slipped from one another and Luann pulled her sister towards Loreen and the car. Susan cupped Miley's cheek as they passed, tears now clearly visible on her face. Loreen opened the car door for them, as Robby stowed their things in the trunk.

"One of you can sit up front," Loreen motioned towards the car.

"Fuck off, lady. Don't even talk to us, let's just get this over with," Luann said, pushing her sister towards the backseat and following her into the car.

Susan said nothing about the girl's use of bad language or her rude behavior; in her opinion, Loreen deserved nothing less. The social worker, clearly not impressed with Luann's behavior, shut the door behind the twins and got into the driver's seat without another word. The car pulled away. Susan reached for Robbie, who immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Lilly, now crying, hugged her other side. Together they watched the car leave their line of sight.

* * *

Miley was taking deep breaths to calm herself down, but Luann's sudden anger wasn't helping her. Luann sat, arms crossed, stock still in her seat and hadn't as much as looked at her in the five minutes since they'd gotten into the car. She looked at her sister, but Luann ignored her.

"Luann…" Miley said, her mouth suddenly dry.

Luann finally turned to her, eyes accusatory, "How could you be so stupid, Miley?"

Miley swallowed, trying to get rid of the cotton in her mouth. She was confused. "What did I do?"

"Did you not just offer to marry Blondie?"

"What?" Miley thought back to her goodbye with Lilly and her words to the blonde. If it kept her from going back to their mother she **would** do anything, but she hadn't been making a serious marriage proposal. In all honesty, though, she liked the thought of marrying Lilly. "You know I wasn't seriously asking her, Luann. What's wrong with you?"

"You are what's wrong with me, Miley! I can't stand it how you give all of yourself to that girl and she's just gonna drop you the first chance she gets."

"Lilly's not like that. I wish you would stop being such a bitch to her," Miley said defensively, getting angry herself.

Luann leaned closer to her sister, eyes narrowed, "Miley, you honestly think that girl is going to stick around? When we're living in a trash heap and our clothes start looking like shit or when we have those mysterious, hard to explain bruises. When you run out of meds and wake up in the middle of the night like you're suffocating. When we're so hungry the food at school starts looking like a gourmet meal. When there's no money to pay the bills and there's no heat in winter. When we get evicted, again. No one puts up with that shit if they don't have to."

Miley clenched her teeth, though at least the tears she'd been holding back for so long spilled from her eyes. Why could Luann never let her be happy? She thought of arguing, that she knew Lilly **would** stick around because she loved her no matter what, but knew it was fruitless. Luann wasn't going to change her opinion. Miley wiped her eyes and glared at her sister. "Fuck you, Luann."

Luann, too shocked by her normally sweet sister's harsh words, just sat back in her seat. She just wished Miley could see Lilly for what she really was - a good-for-nothing heartbreaker. They did not speak to each other the entire forty-minute drive to Nashville.

When the car turned into a neighborhood street and Luann saw the sign at the front, she scoffed, "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me. She's really made something of herself…a trailer park, great."

Loreen ignored her passengers, probably glad to be almost rid of them. She pulled up in front of an older looking trailer and turned off the car. Luann glanced at her sister, but Miley was still staring straight ahead. She got out of the car and stood in the front yard, staring at what was going to be their new home. She wanted to run away. People in the neighborhood were staring at her, clearly not having any entertainment other than what happened to their neighbors. Loreen was already unloading their stuff from her trunk. Miley walked up next to Luann and stood by her side, eyes expressionless as she stared at the trailer.

Luann turned to look at her, then back at the trailer. She reached over and took Miley's hand in hers. Neither of them spoke, but Luann could tell from the clamminess of her sister's hand how nervous she was. The front door to the trailer banged open, making both girls wince. Their mother rushed out and towards the twins as if she was genuinely happy to see them. Miley squeezed her hand tightly.

"Oh, look at you two. I've missed you both so much!"

Brenda enveloped both girls in a hug, but this time neither twin returned it. Miley's grip on her hand was getting increasingly tighter. Luann took a step back. Her mother smelled like stale cigarette smoke, though, surprisingly, not of booze. Probably an act she was putting on for CPS.

"Hello, Brenda," she said, knowing with the social worker there her mother wouldn't dare hit her. She was going to be in for it later, but Luann was too angry to care.

Anger flared in Brenda's eyes, but she managed to hide it well. She pulled away from her daughters. She turned to Loreen, thanking the woman profusely and practically ushering her to her car. As soon as the car had left, Brenda turned to her daughters, contempt now clearly visible on her face. She grabbed both their arms harshly, "Don't you **ever** call me anything but 'mom' ever again, you understand? You're my daughters and you will treat me with respect. Whatever those people let you get away with, it ain't gonna fly here. Now get your shit inside."

She let go of their arms and walked back towards the trailer, leaving the two to carry their own bags inside. They'd both agreed to leave most of their valuable possessions and nicer clothes at the Stewarts', knowing full well how their mother would jump at the chance to pawn their stuff for drug money and thus hadn't packed much. They entered through the front door and found themselves standing in the living room, an open kitchen to their left and a door immediately to the right. The decorations were awful, probably from the 70s and Luann made a face. It was surprisingly empty of bottles, trash and drug paraphernalia, though multiple empty cigarette packs lay on the kitchen counter.

"Your room's to the right, there's your bathroom. We didn't have money to get you a bed, so you'll have to make do," Brenda shrugged, lighting a cigarette. She blew the smoke out slowly, clearly savoring the taste.

Luann grimaced, "How many times do I have to tell you not to smoke around Miley? And what the hell do you mean 'we'?"

Brenda threw her lighter onto the counter and walked over to them, blowing smoke into both their faces. She walked past them and pushed open the bedroom door, motioning them inside. "Me and James. You're lucky he didn't just up and leave after what you did to him."

Luann stopped cold. She'd almost killed James with a baseball bat and now he was going to be living with them again. At that moment she seriously considered running away, but she knew she couldn't leave Miley. Her mother kicked one of their bags into the room and flipped a light switch. The room was small, nearly stuffed to the brim with stuff. An old, dirty sofa stood against one wall, while a broken desk sat against another. Multiple boxes were crowded into one corner, overflowing with clothes and old trinkets. Brenda pointed to something on the desk.

"One of you can sleep on the sofa, the other can use that air mattress. Sheets are in one of those boxes. Put all your shit in here, I don't wanna see it outside. I'm gonna go make dinner."

Brenda left the room, shutting the door behind her. The twins looked at each other, shell-shocked. Luann kicked some of the useless crap on the floor out of her way and sat on the sofa, Miley following suit.

"She's going to make dinner," Luann said absentmindedly, eyes wandering across the clutter in their room.

"I want to go home," Miley breathed, eyes watering.

Luann turned to look at her, eyes softening. She wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders and pulled her closer with a heavy sigh. "I know, Miles…but we'll be okay. We'll be okay."

Even as the words left her mouth, she knew they were a lie.

* * *

"I hate what they did to your hair." Brenda grabbed strands of Miley's straightened hair, frowning at it in disapproval. Miley remained silent, staring down into her bowl. Brenda set her own bowl on the counter with a shake of her head. "Don't go tryin' ta be somethin' you're not, Miley. We ain't fancy people, you don't need no fancy people hair. What the hell is wrong with what God gave ya?"

Luann felt her sister tensing up next to her. She wanted to say something, to stop the belittling before it got out of hand, but she knew it was fruitless. She half-heartedly dug around in her bowl of Hamburger Helper. Across from her James chuckled and she glared at him.

"Maybe the ugly duckling's tryin' to become a swan," he said maliciously, taking a swig of his beer while his eyes stayed glued to Miley.

"You're one to talk," she bit out, unable to take their abuse any longer. James reached across the table as if to smack her, but she moved back to avoid his hand. It hadn't been so long this was her life, all she knew, but now she remembered eating dinner at a table where people loved each other and talked to one another with respect.

Brenda leaned across the counter, pointing at Luann, "I don't need your attitude, young lady. Just go to your room."

Luann stood with a shrug, more than glad to be rid of them. Miley followed suit naturally, but Brenda stopped her. "Miley's stayin' out here."

"Like hell she is."

"Don't get fresh with me, Luann!" Brenda said, as if spoiling for a fight.

Luann took Miley's other arm, glaring at the two adults, "Well, it's time for her meds, so unless either of you can read, I'm gonna go give them to her."

Miley would normally have been horribly offended at Luann's statement making it seem she was helpless, but she would rather leave her mother's presence than argue over semantics. When neither Brenda nor James said anything, Luann took it as their cue to leave and pulled her sister into their bedroom. Though there was no lock on the door, she had managed to create a movable tower of junk to block the door with. Miley sat on the sofa with a huff.

"I wasn't lying about your meds," the older brunette said and went to a box at the bottom of the junk heap she was using to hide their more valuable assets, including Miley's medications. She pulled out two pill bottles and tossed them to her sister. Miley took the pills in silence and Luann stashed them in her hiding place again. She moved in front of her sister and held a cell phone out to her. Miley looked at her funnily.

"I know you wanna call, so go ahead."

Miley took the phone, not sure exactly whom Luann was talking about, but she dialed the number nonetheless. She smiled when she heard Lilly's voice.

"Hey Lils."

There was silence on the other end and something that sounded like a sigh of relief, "Hey Miles. How're you doing?"

Miley debated over whether to lie or tell the truth; she didn't want the Stewarts to worry about them, but she knew they'd probably realize if she was lying. "We're okay. This place is kinda crappy…but…I guess mother is trying."

Luann scoffed from across the room and Miley watched her trying to set up the air mattress.

"That's…good. We all really miss you, Miley," Lilly said and a voice could be heard sounding in the background. Lilly groaned, "And Luann, too."

Miley smiled, but it fell as soon as she realized she was stuck in this place and not at home where she belonged. A loud crash sounded to her left and she started, looking at her sister who was still struggling with the mattress.

"Uh, what's going on over there?" Lilly asked, apprehension tingeing her voice.

"Luann's having problems putting up the air mattress," the brunette replied, almost enjoying the frustration on her sister's face.

"You're sleeping on the ground?"

Miley frowned. She hadn't wanted to reveal the lack of accommodations in their new home or how their room was basically a storage chamber for unwanted goods, them included. "Luann is; there's a sofa in here. Just until we get a bed."

Now she **was** lying and she hoped Lilly couldn't tell. She didn't want to talk about how much she hated being here and away from the family that actually loved her. Lilly was silent and Miley stretched out on her "bed" with a sigh. "Tell me what you did today?"

Lilly, seemingly happy with the change in subject, launched into a story of how Blue Jean had spooked and nearly tossed her off. Miley closed her eyes and listened, trying to pretend she was still at the ranch house, with the clean, fresh air and the happiness and the love. Luann continued to curse in the background as she set up her bed on the ground.


	21. A House Divided

I almost forgot to update, again! I think this is a bit shorter, but all part of the lead up towards that big accident everyone's waiting for ;)

* * *

**Chapter 21 – A House Divided**

Miley awoke with a start, heart racing and she turned in her bed, only to nearly fall off the side of the sofa. A streetlight sat right outside their window and no matter how hard they'd tried to block it out, light still filtered into the room, illuminating the junk. Reality sank back in and Miley closed her eyes against it, wishing she were anywhere but here. She heard yelling coming from the outside and some car doors slam, but surprisingly the inside of the trailer seemed quiet. In the few days they'd been back, she hadn't seen her mother drink or do any kind of drug, but that didn't necessarily mean it wasn't happening. Miley knew CPS was supposed to be keeping closer tabs on their mother, but she hadn't seen any of that yet, either.

She fumbled under her pillow for her cell phone and stared at the screen. 2 AM; she'd have to be up in less than four hours to get ready for school. Miley sighed, lying back into the cushions. Luann was snoring off to the side, oblivious to everything going on. She looked back at her phone, wishing she could call Lilly. She had no idea if she'd had a bad dream or whether the noise from outside had awoken her, but Miley just wanted to hear her girlfriend's voice. It was way too late, or early, to be calling her though and Miley closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep. It would not come. After a few minutes, she hit the 'call' button.

The phone rang for several beats and Miley almost hung up, when she heard Lilly's sleepy voice answer. "Hello?"

She bit her lip, "Lils, I'm sorry I woke you up."

The rustling of sheets could be heard on the other end, before Lilly spoke again, sounding a little clearer this time, "Miley? Is everything okay?"

She didn't know why, but suddenly there was a lump in her throat and her eyes filled with tears. "Yeah, I…I'm sorry…I just couldn't sleep and I missed you…and I wanted to hear your voice."

There was silence again and Miley wondered if Lilly was mad at her for calling at such an awful hour. She heard Lilly shifting in bed again.

"What did you want my voice to be saying when you heard it?" Lilly asked, sounding as if it were perfectly normal to have a phone conversation at 2 AM after being rudely awoken.

Miley swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to blink the tears away. Why was she suddenly so weak? "Something about how much it missed me and loved me?"

"Well, I don't know about my voice, but I definitely miss you and love you, a whole freaking lot."

Miley shifted on the lumpy sofa, feeling something digging into her back. She reached for it and drew out Possie, staring at him for a second before clutching him to her chest. The tears spilled over and she sniffed. She could hear Lilly sigh on the other end.

"Don't cry, Miles."

"I can't help it…I just miss you so much…and mom and dad and even Jackson."

Lilly scoffed, "That's serious. **I** wouldn't go as far as saying I miss Luann."

Miley rolled her eyes and wiped her face with her sleeve. Lilly always had a way of deflecting seriousness with jokes, but sometimes it actually helped Miley clear her head. She sniffed again, but the tears had mostly stopped. They were both silent for a few moments, until Lilly spoke again.

"Do you want me to talk to you until you fall asleep?"

"Yeah," Miley said softly, fingers toying with the stuffed possum on her chest.

"Okay, lie down and close your eyes. I'm gonna tell you a story," Lilly said, voice calm and soothing as she spoke. And true to her word, Lilly kept talking until Miley was fast asleep.

* * *

"Hey there."

Miley glanced up from her book, eyes narrowing as she saw the boy standing above her. She was sitting outside, on the front steps, just to get away from the horrible oppressiveness of the trailer. Their mother was chain-smoking, likely in frustration over her lack of alcohol or drugs, and Miley couldn't stand being inside. When she didn't respond, the boy continued.

"I haven't seen you around before."

She marked her page and closed the book, staring up at him. "I'd guess it's because I hadn't been here before."

His smile faltered slightly at her disinterested tone, but he just nodded, brushing some bangs from his eyes. "Cool. I'm Jake."

Miley studied his face, his overconfidence and suppressed a sigh. He was good-looking, she had to admit, but he obviously knew it and was probably used to girls fawning all over him. She was not interested in the least bit. He shifted uncomfortably, giving her this look like he was expecting something from her.

"And what's your name?" he asked, drawing out the words as if she were stupid.

"I'm not interested."

He frowned, brows drawn together as if he was deep in thought. Miley rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you had some great line about finding pretty girls in this place and you probably would've even taken me to a place where shirts and shoes are required, but I'm gonna save you the trouble. I'm not going to go out with you."

Jake opened his mouth, but seemed at a loss for words and closed it again. He scratched his head, probably thinking of a way to extract himself from the awkward situation, when the front door banged open. Miley shot up and turned to face her mother, who stood in the doorway.

"Miley, I thought I told you to clean up your shit," Brenda said, then noticed the boy standing by her daughter's side. "Oh, hello Jake."

"Hi Ms. Jordan, I didn't mean to intrude. I was just coming over to say 'hi' to Miley here," Jake said, putting on his most charming smile. Miley rolled her eyes.

Brenda looked between them, a fake smile on her face, "Oh Jake, maybe you'd wanna take Miley out…she just moved here and doesn't know nobody, yet."

Miley clenched her teeth, "I'm fine, mother."

Jake shrugged sheepishly, still smiling, "Yeah, I tried; she said she wasn't interested."

Brenda looked at the boy conspiratorially, "Oh Miley, she's going through this phase…she thinks she's a lesbo, but don't worry…we'll get her right, again."

The look crossing Jake's phase was almost comical enough to make Miley laugh, if she hadn't been so furious with her mother. It was a look between fear, awkwardness and intrigue and he took a step back. Jake pointed off towards some trailers, his smile a lot less self-assured, "Uh, I think I better go home, but…it was nice meeting you, Miley."

As soon as he'd turned around and left, Brenda grabbed Miley's arm and dragged her inside the trailer. Miley pulled away, angry. The older woman turned, pointing her finger in her daughter's face.

"I don't need the whole neighborhood knowing somethin's wrong with ya."

"You're the one who told him I was gay!" Miley yelled, her anger overtaking the cautious, smart side that normally won out. Maybe this was how Luann always felt. She hoped her sister would be back soon; Luann had said she'd only be fifteen minutes.

Brenda's hand shot out to grab Miley's upper arm, yanking her closer, "We've already discussed this. You are not that way, you hear me? Do we need to talk about this again?"

Miley remembered their "talk" all too well and it hadn't involved too many words. She shook her head. Brenda released the death grip she had on the girl's arm and nodded. "Good, now clean up this mess you made."

Miley watched her mother go into James' and her bedroom, jaw clenched. She hadn't thought it would be the best idea to mention that the mess in the kitchen was from James and went to clean it up. Miley didn't know if she could live like this for another two years.

* * *

"Why are you so fidgety?" Luann asked. She received a glare. She looked at her sister walking next to her, eyes narrowed. "It's only been a week, Miles. What, you think she grew horns in that time or something? Come to think of it…"

Luann trailed off and Miley punched her in the shoulder. She was finally getting to see Lilly again, even if it was just for dinner and a movie. Even if she did have to return to the hell she now lived in after. Luann scanned the crowd on the sidewalk and noticed the blonde first. She didn't move or say anything and it took several more minutes for Lilly to find them. Luann wasn't sure whether she was glad Miley was out of the trailer for a few hours or whether she was mad Lilly was still an option.

"Miley!"

The younger brunette turned and a huge smile lit her face as she saw her girlfriend. She practically jumped into Lilly's arms and Luann watched with disdain on her features as the two girls hugged. Lilly pulled away and seemed to scan Miley for any injuries. Luann looked away, uncomfortable. It was something she routinely did, too and she wasn't sure how she felt about Lilly acting like her. She stepped up to the two, arms crossed.

"Alright, I'm going then, Oliver's waiting. Miley, I'll call you when I go home…I don't want you going home before I come back, understood?"

Miley frowned at her words, but decided not to argue. Life with their mother was hardly easy, but it had been a lot less bad so far. She also didn't want Lilly to think where they were living was dangerous, but the blonde was already looking at Luann.

"Mom's picking me up later, we'll drop Miley off. We'll make sure you're back when we do."

"Good." Luann nodded and walked away, leaving the two girls alone.

Miley took Lilly's hand in hers. She didn't want to waste what time they had by talking about how horrible their lives had become. Lilly intertwined their fingers and smiled at her.

"I've really missed you, Miles."

Miley snuggled into her side, not caring anymore if people saw or cared. She'd missed Lilly too much to not get any physical contact. Lilly draped her arm over the brunette's shoulders as they walked to the restaurant. They were silent most of the way, just enjoying the other's presence. Once they were seated, Miley played idly with her napkin.

"Mother tried to set me up with a boy."

Lilly carefully swallowed the sip of water in her mouth, staring at her girlfriend expectantly, "How'd that go?"

"For him or for me?" Miley asked. Lilly shrugged. "Well, seeing as I'm on a date with the most beautiful, loving girlfriend anyone could have, I'd say he lost out."

Lilly smirked, "I better be careful. I knew someone would try to steal you away."

"You know I love you, right?" Miley said softly, meeting Lilly's eyes with an intense gaze.

The blonde nodded slowly, apprehensive, "Of course I do. What's wrong, Miley?"

The younger girl hesitated, then shook her head, dropping her eyes to her torn up napkin, "Nothing…I just…"

She trailed off and Lilly leaned forward, reaching to grasp Miley's hand in hers. Miley sighed and met Lilly's eyes again. "I just love you so much and I'm afraid we won't get through this."

"Are you saying you're giving up?" Lilly asked quietly. Miley shook her head, her fingers tightening around Lilly's.

"Good, 'cause neither am I. And mom and dad, they're still trying to fight this. I know this sounds hollow, but you have to stay strong, Miles. We're going to get you through this, hell even Luann if we have to."

Miley smiled softly and nodded. Lilly's words and touch did wonders to calm her frazzled nerves, but she couldn't help but be wary. Something told her the worst was yet to come.


	22. It Does Not Kill

Thanks to everyone who is still reviewing this 22 Chapters later, you people are awesome. I know everyone is still hoping for a big accident, but I refuse to give anything anyway ;)

* * *

**Chapter 22 – It Does Not Kill**

Miley chewed on the end of her pen, looking down at the book spread open on her lap. It was thankfully quiet inside for once, with her mother in the bedroom and James gone somewhere, hopefully for good. She always tried to finish her homework right after school, a habit she'd developed out of necessity back when she'd always gotten so tired she'd crash soon after coming home. Luann had a tendency to not do her homework at all, copying off Miley the next morning on their way to school. Miley didn't mind helping her sister out, after all, Luann had always been there for her.

She furrowed her brow in thought at a particularly tough math problem, when the front door banged open. Miley looked up from her seat on the sofa, suppressing a sigh. James tossed his wallet onto the kitchen counter and ambled towards the sofa. He sat a case of beer on the coffee table and dropped into the cushions of the sofa perpendicular to the one Miley was sitting on. He ignored her completely, popping open a can of beer and propping his legs on the table. James turned on the TV, fingers fiddling with the remote as he zapped through the channels.

"Seriously? Can't you see I'm doing homework?" Miley said, exasperated.

James turned to look at her at last and she frowned. He was sweating profusely and his eyes looked funny. He sat up straight and glared at her. "Ain't my problem, girl."

Miley figured it best to get out of there. She closed her book and gathered her stuff, but his voice stopped her. "Where's your sister at?"

She hesitated, wondering if she could get away with a lie. Luann had, once again, gotten into trouble at school and been stuck in detention. She wouldn't be home for at least another half hour. James took a swig from his beer, his eyes focused on her. He grinned, "Not so tough without her, ain't'cha?"

Miley still didn't say anything, instead stuffing her school stuff into her backpack. She hadn't moved, not wanting to draw his attention, though that didn't seem to be working, either. James turned closer to her, clearly not impressed with her lack of response. "What the fuck is wrong with you, girl? You ain't got two licks of sense. Get on outta here!"

Glad he seemed to want to be rid of her, Miley shoved her math book into her backpack and moved to get off the sofa, but James turned on her so fast she had no time to react. He shot up and was on her in a split-second, his fist striking her mouth first. He pushed her down into the cushions as she tried to curl up. One of his hands forced her down, while the other continued to lash out at her, landing blow after blow. She didn't know how long it lasted, merely trying to shield her face from the continued hits.

"James, leave the girl alone."

He pulled back and glanced into the kitchen, where Brenda was going through some cabinets. James shook out his jerking hands and wiped his forearm across his brow. He grabbed his beer can and sat back in his earlier seat, Miley all but forgotten. The brunette girl sat up tentatively, eyeing James warily. She was breathing heavily, heart racing and she tasted blood in her mouth. Miley swallowed, the blood almost making her gag.

Her mother walked over to her and held out a wet paper towel, "Here, wipe off your face."

Miley took it and did as told. Her face was throbbing and her lip burned, while blood continued to pour out of her nose. She pressed the towel to it, squeezing her eyes shut. She hadn't even done anything wrong. He'd just attacked her and her mother didn't even care. A sadness settled over her and she swallowed hard. There was still blood in her mouth. She looked at her mother standing next to the sofa, watching her with a strange look on her face.

"Why don't you love us?" Miley's voice was soft, but her tone left no doubt of how serious she was.

Brenda's first reaction was to lash out, but seeing her daughter's bloody face made her falter. It wasn't that she didn't love them, she just didn't know how. She wanted Miley to know that, but even that was out of her reach. Hurt and offended by the girl's question, she narrowed her eyes, knowing no other way to deal than to get angry.

"Just go to your room. Don't bother coming out for dinner." Though her words sounded harsh, her voice was almost subdued.

Miley gave her one last, hard look, before getting up. The girl grabbed her backpack and went to her room in silence. She did not even slam the door and Brenda shook her head. Miley had always been the quiet one. She looked at James sprawled out on the sofa, seemingly not a care in the world and went back into the kitchen. Love was never easy.

* * *

Miley entered their bedroom only to find Luann stuffing some things into a backpack. She looked at her funnily, wondering if her sister was planning to run away again. They had tried, several years ago, but Miley had gotten too scared and Luann had grudgingly gone back home with her. Luann looked up at her and moved towards the door, stopping her.

"Come on, we're leaving."

"Where are we going?"

Luann pulled Miley out of their room, throwing her a sweatshirt as she closed the door behind them. Brenda stood in the living room, a cigarette in one hand, a can of beer in the other. She noticed their eyes on the can and set it down on the table, looking at them questioningly.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Luann stopped in front of her, pulling on her jacket. Miley stood just behind her, extremely confused. She noticed James on the sofa and squeezed further behind her sister; she'd tried to avoid him at all costs after his outburst two days ago.

"I told you, mother, we're staying at Oliver's. His parents are out of town."

"Why is Miley going?"

Luann sighed, "Ollie has a really cute friend I want Miley to meet."

Brenda narrowed her eyes, "A boy?"

"Yes, mother, a boy. Can we go now?"

Brenda just waved them off and Luann grabbed Miley's hand to drag her out the door. Miley marveled at the fact their mother seemed to be perfectly okay with letting her teenaged daughters have sleepovers, and likely sex, with boys she didn't know, but hated Miley just for being gay. Then she remembered Luann's words and pulled away as they reached the front yard.

"You are **not** setting me up, Lu."

Luann rolled her eyes and dragged her to Oliver's waiting car, "I'm not. I'm going to Ollie's, you're going to mom and dad's."

"To Lilly's?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. I just don't want you in that trailer, especially not without me and I'll be gone all weekend. You okay with this?" Luann said, getting in the car.

Miley smiled and nodded. She felt okay for the first time in two weeks. And without Luann there to be annoying, she could definitely manage to sneak into Lilly's bed at night.

* * *

Susan didn't like to say it out loud, but she was worried. It had only been two weeks since the twins were taken from her and though she talked to them, mostly Miley, regularly, she could tell it was taking a toll on them. It had taken a toll on her, too.

Amanda had been sent to another foster family that planned to adopt her, leaving the house eerily empty with only two children. Susan and Robbie had decided to quit being foster parents, though mostly due to Susan's urging. She didn't think she could handle something like this happening again - losing her daughters and being unable to help them as they suffered.

She shook her head, staring out the kitchen window. There was no time for awful thoughts; Miley would be here soon and Susan felt elated, even if it was only for the weekend. Perhaps she could even talk Luann into staying, but she knew the older brunette had set this whole plan into motion partially so she could spend time with her boyfriend. Susan had reluctantly agreed not to tell Robbie; she did like Oliver and didn't want to see him harmed, either.

A car pulled into the driveway and Susan was out the door in seconds, waiting on the porch. The two girls exited the car and walked up to the house, Luann carrying Miley's backpack. Susan smiled, feeling relief at just seeing them. Then Miley stepped into the porch light and Susan nearly gasped. She took the two steps to reach the brunette and reached out a hand to cup the girl's cheek. Miley looked away.

"What happened?" Susan asked, eyes scanning across the girl's face. Miley's lower lip was busted and light blue and yellow bruising marbled her cheekbone. Susan looked at Luann standing by her sister's side, "Is this what you meant by 'Miley should get out of the house for a while'?"

Luann shrugged, not knowing how to respond to that. She couldn't explain how close she'd come to taking a life the night she'd found her sister like that. Miley had had to physically restrain her from taking that baseball bat to James' head again. But she didn't want to worry Susan or Robbie; they couldn't do anything about it and didn't deserve the grief of knowing things weren't good. She'd told Miley to lie about it, but knowing her sister she'd crack after the first hug and cup of Loco Hot Cocoa. She sighed.

"Ollie is waiting, I better go." Luann turned to Miley and hugged her tightly, "Don't enjoy yourself too much, Miles. We'll be back on Sunday to pick you up."

"Luann," Susan's voice stopped the girl before she could leave. She held out her arms and the brunette rolled her eyes, but hugged her nonetheless. Luann would never admit it to anyone, but she liked how Susan showed her she was loved.

Susan waited until the car pulled away, before ushering Miley into the house. It felt good to have her home, but ever since seeing the bruises a horrible feeling of dread had began pooling in Susan's stomach. Miley followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table when Susan pulled out a chair for her. The woman sat across from her and took the girl's hands in hers. Miley looked at her and was about to ask a question, when Susan stopped her.

"Lilly is in her room, finishing homework. You're just in time, we're about to have dinner." Miley was about to protest, but Susan stopped her again, "Yes, you are hungry."

Miley smiled softly; she had missed feeling like someone cared about her, like someone was there for her. Susan looked at her intently and Miley could tell she was about to ask things she didn't want to answer.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to your face?"

Miley looked down at the table, unsure of what to say. Luann had instructed her to lie; it would do no good to tell the truth and get everyone upset and worried. But how could she lie to the woman who truly loved her like a mother, who had cared for her, who had her trust? Miley closed her eyes and exhaled.

"It was James. I-I didn't…I mean…I don't know," Miley trailed off, sounding unsure.

Susan took a deep breath to calm her suddenly raging emotions and closed her eyes briefly. She think there was anything to say, so she just pulled Miley into a hug, holding her close. After a few moments she pulled back, trying to inconspicuously wipe the tears from her eyes. Susan smiled at Miley, brushing some hair from her forehead.

"Why don't you go upstairs and say 'hi' to Lilly and I'll call you in a few when the food is done."

Miley smiled and was out of the chair in a split-second, making her way to the staircase. Susan watched her with a sad smile and went to get the food ready. She'd only have a few minutes to get herself back under control, but until then she couldn't help the few tears filling her eyes.

* * *

Lilly thought she heard yelling, but that couldn't be - her parents never fought. She made her way towards the kitchen, hoping dinner was almost ready. She was starving. A loud thud sounded and she winced, peeking around the doorway into the kitchen apprehensively. Her father was standing with his back to her, hands clamped around the edge of the sink, while her mother stood a few feet away, facing him with her arms crossed. What the hell was going on?

"I just wanna shoot somebody," Robbie Ray ground out, anger lacing his voice. Lilly had never heard him like that before.

Susan sighed, "Robbie Ray, just settle down. This ain't helping any."

He turned, running a hand through his hair, "When I think of that lowlife laying his hands on my little girl…"

Susan cocked her head, a slight smile on her lips, "Your little girl, huh?"

Robbie glanced at her and shook his head, his anger deflating somewhat, "How can we let them go back there, Susan?"

She came up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. The two adults hugged. "I don't know…we'll think of something. But for now, let's just have dinner…in peace."

Lilly felt relief knowing they were simply talking about Miley's situation. The thought brought another frown to her face. She couldn't understand how anyone could purposefully hurt Miley like that; Miley who was always nice and sweet and never hurt anyone. Before her thoughts could get any darker, the brunette in question came up behind her, poking her in the back.

"Why are you hiding?"

Both parents turned to see the two teens standing just outside the kitchen and broke apart. Susan turned back to her food, motioning for the girls to set the table. Robbie Ray tried to steel himself; he had yet to see Miley, only having heard about what had happened from his wife. The brunette came up to him right away, though ducking her head somewhat shyly. He'd still seen her split lip and the bruises, though, but tried to keep his anger in check. He hugged her close, kissing the top of her head.

"Hey there, bud."

The girls set the table and the family sat down for dinner, Robbie Ray having even managed to coax Jackson out of his room. Miley reached for Lilly's hand under the table; she'd missed just being close to the blonde. Their chairs were as close as possible, their legs pressed together. Every once in a while, one of them would turn to look at the other and grin, a grin that turned even more silly when they met each other's eyes. They were almost oblivious to everyone else around the table.

"Ugh, that's disgusting."

Miley and Lilly blinked as if coming out of a trance and looked at Jackson. Lilly narrowed her eyes at her brother, "What?"

"You two, it's sickening. How am I supposed to keep my food down with you two all lovey dovey?"

Lilly stuck her tongue out at him; her brain was mush around Miley. Miley just rolled her eyes, "Please, Jerkson, you're just jealous 'cause you can't remember when your last date was."

"I had one this week, as a matter of fact, **Miley**," he said, baiting her.

"Yeah and it went great until GAP had to put her back in the shop window."

He made a face at her, head snapping to face his father who was trying to cover his laughter with fake coughs. Lilly, too, was laughing at her brother's expense, nudging Miley in the side.

"You're the best, Miles. I love you," the blonde said, still laughing. She turned and pecked Miley's lips, but drew back hesitantly as she noticed her parents' eyes on them from the side. She looked at them sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I'll try to control myself."

Robbie Ray gave her an incredulous look, shaking his head, "Try a bit harder next time."

"Come on, Miley, eat up, you're all skin and bones," Susan said from next to him, heaping more food onto the brunette's plate.

Miley groaned in mock frustration, but secretly she was happy – about everything. Happy about annoying Jackson, about rules, about being force-fed, but most of all she was just happy to know she did still have a family that loved her.


	23. Nothing to Fear

I'm not even sure anymore when I'm supposed to be updating, so I'll just go ahead and do it. I hope no one minds ;) Thanks to all who reviewed.

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**Chapter 23 – Nothing to Fear**

"What the fuck!"

Miley looked crossly at her cursing sister and sat heavily on her bed/sofa. Luann was digging through their hiding spot and turned, empty-handed.

"It's gone."

Miley frowned. "What is?"

Luann knocked her fist into a box, toppling its contents onto the already cluttered floor. "Everything. My cell phone, mp3 player. Your meds."

Miley just stared at her, open-mouthed. Luann got up and walked out of the room, clearly furious. Miley followed cautiously, stopping just behind her sister who was facing their mother. Brenda sat on the sofa, watching TV, a cigarette in one hand, a glass in the other.

"Where the hell is it?" Luann said, balling her fists.

Brenda glanced at them briefly, before turning back to the TV. "What?"

"Don't play dumb, mother. Our shit is gone. Miley's meds. Where are they?" Luann knew she could live without a cell phone and mp3 player, but Miley could not live without her medications.

Brenda merely shrugged, "How the fuck would I know? Look at this place, maybe someone broke in."

"Oh yeah? What'd they steal from you?"

Brenda shrugged, again, not even bothering to face them. Luann scoffed, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

There was still no reaction from their mother and Luann leaned over the back of the sofa, snatching the glass out of Brenda's hand. She sniffed the liquid and made a face. Brenda lunged to take her glass back, but was nowhere near as quick as her daughter. Luann wanted to throw the glass against the wall.

"What do you think CPS would say if they knew you were drinking again?"

"Stay out of my business, Luann. It's one damn drink; just go away, both of you," Brenda said, wishing she could lock them in their room. They'd been much easier to intimidate when they were little and though Miley still held a healthy dose of respect for her, Luann was out of control.

"Miley's meds. **Now**, mother. Or I call CPS," Luann threatened, wondering if CPS would even care. They might promise to look into it, as they'd done when Susan had called them about James hitting Miley. A week later and still nothing; Luann figured they wanted to wait until the bruises were healed so they wouldn't have to do anything.

Brenda stood and came closer to her daughter. "I don't care what you do, as long as you leave me the hell alone."

Frustrated, the woman reached for her glass again. Luann pulled her hand back, wanting nothing more than to hit her mother in the face. They struggled over the glass and it dropped, shattering on the ground. Liquor splattered on Luann's pants and she looked down at the glass shards surrounding her. She was still wearing shoes, but noticed Brenda wasn't. The woman reached out to hit her, but Luann simply moved back, out of reach.

"Look what you've done, you bitch! Clean this up, right now!" Brenda yelled, threatening, but did not dare take a step as the shards surrounded her.

Luann turned and grabbed her sister's shoulders, maneuvering Miley out of the door in front of her. She let the screen door slam shut and took her sister's hand, leading her away. She could still hear Brenda shouting at them to come back.

* * *

Miley shakily reached for the handle and flushed the toilet. She slowly pushed herself up off the floor and rinsed out her mouth. Making her way into the living room, she dropped into the sofa, not even caring how bad it might smell. It was starting to get light outside, but she really didn't want to wake Luann. Her sister would only be worried and maybe even suggest calling Susan, who would be doubly worried. She swallowed down the nausea and stretched out with a groan.

The front door opened and Miley blinked her eyes warily. Weird spots were in her vision and she closed her eyes again, not caring who it was. Brenda entered the trailer, exhausted after a long night of work, and went into the kitchen to make herself a drink. She noticed Miley on the sofa and frowned. The girl didn't move or acknowledge her and she made her drink before walking back over.

Her daughter's skin was pale and sweaty and she was curled up on her left side, a tightly curled fist pressed to her chest. Her face was contorted as if she were in pain. Brenda sighed.

"What's wrong with you?"

Miley didn't answer, her eyes still closed. Brenda didn't like being ignored, though she could tell her daughter wasn't feeling well. She put a hand on the girl's shoulder and shook her. Miley squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

"Don't."

Brenda pulled back, slightly angry. "Fine. I don't want you lying around in here, go back to your room."

"No," Miley breathed out, wishing the woman would just leave her alone. She wanted Susan to be there, her real mom, not this uncaring monster.

Brenda hated their insubordination, but even she could not bring herself to hit a sick child and instead stormed off towards their room. She shoved the door open and turned the light on, until Luann stared at her sleepy eyed. "Go take care of your sister."

Luann was up and past her within a split-second, her own face paling when she saw her sister. She knelt in front of the sofa, reaching out a shaking hand to brush across Miley's hair. "Miley, I'm calling 911."

Miley shook her head fervently, eyes still closed. "No…it's fine."

"You're not fine," Luann said angrily and turned her head to look at their mother, in the kitchen. The woman seemed as if she had not a care in the world. It made her angry. She knew if Miley looked like this at the Stewart's, they'd already be on their way to a hospital.

"It's from not taking the meds…it'll go away, Lu," Miley said weakly, finally opening her eyes. Her sister was looking down at her, concerned.

"How do you know?"

Miley exhaled, the pain in her chest loosening somewhat. "Dr. Matthews explained it to me when I started taking them. Please Lu, just let it go."

Luann frowned, but nodded. "Fine, for now. I'm getting you something to drink."

She walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of water. Brenda watched her and Luann finally turned to face her, angry, "She needs to be on those meds. You need to take her to her doctor, tomorrow."

Brenda sighed, "Luann, you know I'm working. It'll have to wait until next week."

"Are you kidding me? Miley could **die**, don't you even give a shit?" Luann said, tears filling her eyes.

The woman shook her head, "You're such a drama queen. Miley is fine; she probably has a cold or something. I'm going to bed. You better not wake me."

She left the teen standing in the kitchen. Luann blinked away the tears and returned to her sister.

* * *

"Mother."

Brenda turned, almost surprised to see Miley looking at her angrily for once. They thought she hadn't noticed how they no longer called her 'mom', but she had. She'd wondered what it meant. She'd raised them and fed them and sheltered them and they couldn't give her a bit of respect.

"I'm busy," she simply replied, turning her attention back to the coffee table.

Miley stepped up next to her, looking down at the items scattered on the table. Her eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

Brenda inclined her head, annoyed. She grabbed a magazine next to her and put it on top of the empty pens and lighter on the table. Leaning back, she looked at her daughter with a sigh. "What do you want?"

Miley hesitated, eyes still on the coffee table. "You're doing drugs again, aren't you? You promised."

Brenda grunted incoherently, sick of having to explain herself in her own house. She almost wanted to laugh at Miley's naïveté; surely the girl hadn't expected it to be that easy. She tried to think of a way to get rid of the girl, but James came back into the trailer, immediately wrapping an arm around Miley's chest from behind. He pulled the girl against him, laughing as she struggled. Brenda sighed.

"James, leave her alone."

He let go off Miley and sat on the other sofa, reaching for the magazine. James threw it on the ground, tossing a small bag onto the table that held white chunks. He set a light bulb next to it, completely ignoring the other two now. Miley watched him, dread filling her. She took a step back, staring at her mother.

Brenda glanced at her, wishing the girl would just leave. She didn't exactly want her daughter to see her getting high. Maybe if she were a better mother her daughter wouldn't have known what was going on just from seeing some pen casings on the table. It was too late to change now.

"Miley, get out of here," Brenda said, though her voice sounded surprisingly gentle.

"You were supposed to take me to the doctor's," Miley said, swallowing hard.

Brenda sighed. They just wouldn't leave her alone. "Call and cancel. I'm busy. Next week, Miley."

Miley wanted to protest, needed to explain how important this was, but stayed silent. James was removing one of the rocks from his bag. She turned and went into their bedroom, barring the door with their tower of junk. She might as well get started on homework until Luann got home.

* * *

Lilly awoke abruptly and groaned. She blindly reached next to her, but came up empty. Now fully awake, she sat up and looked around the dark room. Nothing. She slid out of bed and stood up, making her way to the door. Lilly walked into the hallway and almost tripped over Miley sitting on the floor against the wall. The blonde looked at her oddly.

"What're you doing?"

Miley suppressed a groan; she had tried so hard not to wake Lilly, because she didn't want to answer any questions. Maybe she should've just stayed in her room, as instructed by Luann, but how could she be so close to Lilly and not cuddle with her? Lilly squatted next to her, face questioning.

"Just couldn't sleep." Miley tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible, but it wasn't easy. Not that her words hadn't been the truth; they were – she just couldn't sleep because she couldn't breathe.

Lilly wasn't fooled, either, immediately noticing how her girlfriend was trying to hide her gasps for breath. "I'm going to get mom."

Miley stopped her with a hand on her wrist, pleading, "Please, don't. Just…Luann."

The blonde frowned, but nodded slowly. She helped Miley up and wrapped an arm around her waist. As they made their way to the twins' room, Lilly tried to think of a good explanation for why Miley wasn't in her room. As it turned out, she didn't need one. Luann woke up with a start as they entered and immediately sat Miley on her bed, propping numerous pillows behind her back.

Lilly crossed her arms. "What's going on? This has never happened before."

She sat on the other side of the bed, across from Luann. She nearly squashed Possie and rescued him before handing him off to Miley. Rubbing her hand across her girlfriend's thigh, she watched Miley struggling, though her breathing seemed to ease somewhat. Luann was stoic as always, but Miley nudged her and the older brunette sighed.

"She's out of meds. Been out for about two weeks."

"What do you mean 'out'? Why can't you get more?" Lilly asked, incredulous.

Luann gritted her teeth, "It's complicated, okay? Sometimes she just can't breathe at night; it helps to sit her up."

Lilly couldn't believe what she was hearing. Miley was suffering and Luann was advocating stop-gap measures. She stood. "I'm going to get mom; she'll have Miley at a doctor's by 8 am."

Luann stood as well, as if to stop her. "Sit down, Blondie."

"Luann," Lilly said, not understanding why the girl was gambling with Miley's health.

"You can't do that. Your parents are already in trouble for calling Loreen about all the other shit. We're not even supposed to be here, Lilly. Miley doesn't want them in trouble because of us and neither do I."

Lilly narrowed her eyes. She'd only heard bits and pieces, but knew her mother specifically had been told she was interfering in custody and could get into serious trouble. She also knew her mother didn't care, wanted to ensure only the safety of the twins, but Lilly didn't want her getting arrested, either. She sighed and sat back down.

"Fine, but if you don't get her to a doctor by next week, I am telling."

"Fine," Luann grumbled. She looked at her sister's face, who was watching Lilly intently. Miley always had the misfortune of loving the wrong people, though Luann grudgingly had to admit to herself she preferred her sister wrongly loving Lilly over their mother. They might have been unable to stand each other, but both only cared about the brunette before them. The two teens sat watching Miley as they'd done before, neither making a sound as the younger girl struggled to breathe. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.


	24. Let Loose the Dogs of War

I thought I'd post a bit early, in celebration of Earth Hour and all, which, of course, if you're observing, means you're not reading this. Hopefully you all waited till after to come read this chapter ;) I think things are about to get worse...

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**Chapter 24 – Let Loose The Dogs of War**

Miley walked past the living room and into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She'd once again had a hard time sleeping, heart beating erratically and breathing difficult, and she didn't want to wake Luann. The TV was on and Miley noticed her mother was awake, sitting on the sofa. She suppressed a sigh; it was maybe around 5 am.

Brenda sat hunched forward on the sofa, hands fumbling with something in front of her. Miley heard the flick of a lighter and her mother inhale. She closed her eyes. She'd really hoped things would change, that their mother wasn't lying this time. It made her angry. This woman had lied her way out of jail and lied them out of a decent home, for what? She walked over and stared down at the woman.

Brenda leaned back against the cushions, an incredible pleasure washing over her. Not even seeing Miley give her that kicked-puppy look could take it away from her. Miley set her glass on the coffee table and reached for the baggy next to the broken light bulb lying in front of her mother. She grabbed it in her fist and not until she'd moved past the sofa did Brenda react.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Miley didn't answer, instead just looking at her mother angrily. She watched her for a few moments, the dilated pupils, heavy breathing. Her mother loved drugs more than she loved her own children. It made her furious.

"I'm doing what you promised us you'd do!" she said and moved away from the sofa, towards their bathroom.

"Get back here, you bitch!" Brenda yelled once she realized her daughter's intentions. She reached for her bottle of Vodka and threw it at Miley's head, attempting to stop her. Her mother's aim was poor and Miley started as the bottle shattered against the wall, spraying liquor and glass shards. A sudden fireball engulfed the space heater sitting just underneath and flames shot up the wall.

"Look what you done did!" Brenda yelled, heart hammering in shock. Flames were soon licking at the ceiling, grabbing for the bottom of the curtains off to the side. Luann skidded into the room, alerted by the loud crash, and her eyes widened as she saw the fire.

Miley felt frozen in fear, fingers still tightly curled around the baggy in her hand. Suddenly Brenda was next to her and grabbed a handful of Miley's hair. She yanked her daughter backwards and shoved her to the ground, smacking the brunette's head against the floor. A hand went to Miley's throat as if to strangle her. Luann did not waste a second, jumping on her mother's back to get her off her sister. The curtains went up in flames.

James came out of the bedroom, dressed only in his boxers. "What the **fuck**, Brenda!" He ran to the coffee table, hands roaming across as if looking for something. "Where's my damn meth?"

Luann wrapped an arm around her mother's throat from behind, every fiber in her being screaming at her to kill the woman. She could not take seeing that woman lay a hand on her sister another time, to say another demeaning word to her, to laugh in their faces when they asked for help. She was going to end it once and for all. Pain exploded in her temple and she loosened her grip temporarily. She turned her head and looked up at James from where she was kneeling on the floor. There was rage in his eyes.

"Gimme back my damn drugs!" he yelled and Luann brought her arms up to defend herself against his fists, letting her mother go.

Brenda had half a mind to knock both her daughters senseless, but the TV made an awful popping sound, spraying glass onto the living room floor. Heavy smoke was billowing into the air. She wondered briefly if they had a fire extinguisher. She turned to James, the fire reflecting off his eyes eerily. He swung again and connected with the side of Luann's head. The girl crumbled to the ground, unconscious.

"Lu!" Miley yelled, shaking off the cobwebs. She slid over to her sister on hands and knees. The glass in one of the windows shattered. The heat was growing exponentially. They had to get out of there.

"My drugs!" James wailed.

Brenda was staring at the growing fire wide-eyed, backing away. "This shit is coming down. Let's go!"

Miley was shaking her sister, biting her lip to keep from crying. It was useless – tears were burning their way down her cheeks. Luann would not wake up. Something crashed to the ground, sending sparks and soot into the air. Miley coughed.

James turned and, as if seeing the fire for the first time, cursed loudly, trying to back away. He stumbled over Miley kneeling by her sister's side and shoved her for good measure as he followed Brenda towards the door. Miley watched them, meeting her mother's eyes. The smoke was getting heavier.

"Help me, please," she begged, but James was already out the door. Brenda turned and followed him, the door banging shut behind her.

A sob escaped Miley's lips and she shook her sister again. Her heart was frantically hammering its way out of her ribcage, racing erratically. She coughed again, trying to suck in air. Was it the smoke or her normally inept lungs making it so hard to breathe? They had to get out of there, before they suffocated. Miley grabbed her sister's arm and tried to pull her towards the door. Luann was heavy and Miley barely moved her a few inches. She tried again. She took deep breaths, trying to get air, but there was none.

"Luann, wake up," she tried again, shaking her, to no avail. Sweat dripped from her forehead and she remembered something she'd learned from a fire safety program. She scrambled for the coffee table and grabbed her forgotten glass of water. It was getting so hard to move now. She coughed. Her lungs protested. Pain shot through her chest and she almost had to crawl to make her way back. She dumped the glass onto her sister's chest and pulled on the sweater until it covered Luann's nose and mouth.

Miley was almost stretched out fully next to her sister, gasping for breath. Her head swam, black spots zooming in and out before her eyes. It was so hot it felt as if her skin was on fire, or she was melting. She coughed half-heartedly, laying her head on the ground. Was this how she would go?

Luann's head was pounding and a strange crackling filled her ears. She was sweating immensely and wondered if she'd fallen asleep next to the furnace or something. She blinked her eyes open and suddenly they burned. Orange and red tongues shot out at her and for a moment she had no idea where she was. Then she felt a hand on her arm and turned to see her sister. Miley looked to her like a fish out of water – eyes wide, fearful, gasping for breath in shallow, quick, spurts. Something shattered farther away and she shook her head, trying to clear it. Fire. Miley was in danger. Luann pushed herself up with a groan, noticing for the first time how her sweater was covering her face, drenched in water. Her first instinct was to yank it down, but she stopped herself. She knew Miley had tried to save her.

"Miles, come on," she said, her throat dry from the smoke. She could barely hear her own voice over the roaring of the fire.

Miley made a weak attempt to push herself up, but her arms gave out. Luann knew her sister would die if she did not get her out. Luann refused to let that happen. It was less than ten feet to the door. She leaned over and hooked her arms underneath Miley's, wrapping them around her chest and pulled. Luann sat and moved backwards, dragging Miley with her foot by foot. She ignored the debris falling down around them, the thundering of the fire consuming everything in its path. The flames taunted them, coming ever closer, until at last she'd reached the door. Luann shoved open the door and pulled Miley out of the trailer. She practically slid down the few front steps, holding onto her sister, until they stopped in the cool, moist grass.

Luann ripped the sweater from her face and greedily sucked in the chilly night air. Her lungs burned and she coughed, as if trying to expel whatever had forced its way in. She noticed the people who stood at the edge of the front yard, watching the fire in reverence. At least someone seemed to have called 911, as flickering lights suddenly fell across the trailer park, red-blue, red-blue.

She pushed herself up and reached for her sister. Despite the raging fire, the light was poor. Miley's eyes were barely open and she was wheezing so badly it made Luann's own throat constrict. She brushed some soot from her sister's face, eyes boring into Miley's as if she could will her to breathe.

"Breathe Miley, just breathe. Deep breaths…please, just breathe," Luann practically begged, watching helplessly as her sister seemed to suffocate. She blinked the blurriness from her eyes, realizing for the first time she was crying.


	25. A Broken Spirit Dries the Bones

I'm glad no one tried to kill me after last chapter. I promise it'll all work out in the end ;)

* * *

**Chapter 25 – A Broken Spirit Dries the Bones**

She laid her head against the car window with a groan, trying to exaggerate as much as possible. She was not a morning person and she thought 5:30 am didn't even count as morning at all – it was deepest night to her.

"Dad, **why** did you get the earliest possible flight out?" Lilly said with a pained sigh.

Susan shook her head at her daughter, smirking, eyes focused on the road ahead. Robbie turned in his seat to look at Lilly, "Because I love spending time with you when you're grumpy, Lilly."

The blonde made a face at her father and put her headphones on. She settled into her seat, figuring she might as well take a nap on the way to Nashville.

*** * ***

Someone pushed past her and she realized with much relief they were paramedics. Luann did not moved from her position next to Miley. Someone tried to gently move her, but she yanked away, glaring at them. "You have to help her…please just help my sister."

"Honey, we're going to try, but you need to move aside. Let John here take a look at you, okay?" a pretty blonde woman said to her, voice soft. Luann let the woman move her back just a few feet, sitting her in the grass. An oxygen mask was slipped over her face and they started asking her questions, but her eyes stayed glued to her sister. She noticed with a sinking feeling those paramedics seemed a lot more concerned than the ones working on her. A mask had been put on Miley's face, as well, and one paramedic was already starting an IV. Miley had her head turned slightly, eyes locked with Luann's.

* * *

"You have everything you need, right honey?"

Robbie Ray glanced sideways at his wife, eyebrows raised, "That's the third time you've asked me. And you packed my stuff."

Susan sighed and shook her head, "I know…it's just…I have this bad feeling."

"I'll only be gone five days. Think of the peace and quiet," Robbie joked. Susan hadn't mentioned any bad feelings before and he'd told her about this trip to California two weeks ago. He was supposed to meet some hotshot new musician and get him to sign with the label he worked for. It was hardly a dangerous job.

Susan merely nodded though, unable to shake the feeling.

* * *

Someone was wrapping something around her forearm and Luann twitched. She did not look away from her sister. She was willing, begging Miley to stay with her. The paramedics were still asking her things and she tried to focus on their words. "…us your name?"

"Luann," she said, voice muffled through the mask. She thought of Miley again. "My sister has a heart condition; she's been pretty sick."

"Does she have pulmonary edema? Trouble breathing sometimes?" one of them asked and Luann nodded. She noticed the paramedic from the corner of her eyes moving towards Miley and saying something to the medics working on her sister. They loaded Miley onto a stretcher and took her onto an ambulance, Luann's eyes tracking them as they went. She looked down once she lost sight of them, blinking the tears away. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"They're going to take good care of your sister, Luann. And I'm gonna take good care of you, okay? We're going to take you to the hospital," the blonde medic said and Luann suddenly felt too tired to fight them. In all honesty, she did feel pretty lousy and she'd need to be wherever Miley was going, anyway. She merely nodded and did not object as they helped her get on a stretcher. Luann suddenly felt exhausted, not just an extreme fatigue, but a weariness that weighed her down, made it hard to think. As they wheeled her towards a waiting ambulance, Luann noticed her mother and James being led to a third one. They were walking and, other than their obvious intoxication, looked no worse for wear. Luann leaned her head back and closed her eyes, letting the tears run freely.

* * *

There was nothing but a ringing silence inside her head and her own voice, begging someone, anyone, to help her. She could see the paramedic's lips moving, but his words did not reach her ears, did not register in her brain. Her eyes tracked his movements in the back of the ambulance, but his actions were empty to her. She could not concentrate on anything other than breathing. Something that came so natural normally was pure agony for her. Miley reached for the mask on her face, wrapping her fingers around it. She had no intentions of removing it; the relief it brought was immense, but the paramedic noticed her movement and took her hand away. Miley wanted to ask for Luann, but she didn't know how. The paramedic looked down at her; his face seemed nice.

"Just hang on hun, we're almost there."

Miley didn't know where 'there' was.

* * *

"Bye, dad. I love you." Lilly had managed to wake up somewhat on the thirty-minute drive to the airport. She climbed into the passenger seat vacated by her father and waved to him as they pulled away from the curb. Now if she only could get rid of Jackson for a while, life at home would be so much less annoying. Her stomach growled loudly.

Susan laughed, "You ready to grab some breakfast?"

Lilly nodded and yawned, "Tell me again how you roped me into this?"

"I bribed you with a new skateboard," Susan said, voice completely serious. She didn't like driving all that much, especially in the city, and preferred having someone else with her. Lilly didn't like getting up early, so she'd had to barter.

Lilly grinned, "That's right. You did." She looked at the clock and frowned. Just after 6 am. "The skate shop isn't opening for another three hours!"

Susan chuckled, "I didn't mention I needed to make a few other stops on the way?"

The blonde groaned and leaned back in her seat. She had been had.

* * *

She brushed away the hands that suddenly were on her. Voices rang in her ears, surrounding her. Luann opened her eyes to find multiple people in scrubs standing around, most of them looking at her. The paramedics were saying something about her and they moved her off the stretcher onto a gurney. Suddenly she felt pain.

She reached for the mask on her face and pulled it away. "Where's my sister?"

A nurse stopped her, putting the mask back on her face. "Just relax, honey, we're going to take care of you."

Luann didn't know how many times she'd heard that phrase so far, but it was starting to get annoying. Someone was starting to cut her clothes off and she tried to pull away. "Look, I'm fine, just tell me where my sister is!"

A strange burning pain enveloped her arms, but she pushed it away. She hadn't seen Miley in a while and it worried her. A needle pricked her arm. Why weren't they off somewhere helping her sister?

"Luann, can you tell us what happened?" a voice from her side asked. How'd they know her name? She didn't answer, mainly because she wasn't totally sure. She remembered fire and Miley, so close to dying. "Do you know how long you were in the fire?"

"I had to save Miley," she answered, voice cracking. "Where's my sister?"

The doctor moved away and looked at his team, "I want a head CT, as well. And someone find out where her sister is."

* * *

A thousand hands were tearing at her and she yelled at them to stop. The words crossed her lips as an incoherent mumble. Sound rushed at her ears and bright lights blinded her eyes. A woman's face appeared above hers and she felt someone take her hand.

"Can you tell us your name, honey?"

She tried to lick her lips, but everything tasted like smoke. She coughed. "Mi-ley."

"Alright, Miley, do you know where you're at?"

She wished they'd stop asking her all these questions and just leave her be. "Hospital." She wasn't brain-damaged. "Where's my sister?"

"I don't know, sweetie, but I'll find out for you, okay?" The woman said, her voice friendly and warm.

She nodded and closed her eyes again. She was so tired. Her chest ached and her lungs burned and her head hurt. Someone was taking off her clothes and she didn't have the strength to object. They were attaching leads to her chest, something she was used to by now, and soon the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled her ears. She'd gotten way too good at recognizing what it should sound like, that she noticed right away her heart was beating frantically and somewhat erratic.

"Sinus rhythm, but she's tachy. BP is 160/100. Pulse ox is 90."

"I want my mom," she said, voice almost a whimper. Tears leaked from her eyes.

Another person towered over her, pressing a cold stethoscope to her chest. The woman pulled away again. Someone had draped a sheet over her, but Miley suddenly felt cold. There were still hands on various parts of her bodies, as well as machines and tubes whose purpose she didn't know.

"Okay, O2 at 100% and keep the fluids wide open. I need a CBC, blood gas and lactate test. Get me a chest film and head CT. Where's that damn CO-oximeter?" The woman with the stethoscope said, sounding as if she were in charge. Someone handed her another machine, which she attached to Miley.

More pain shot through the brunette's chest and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Mom."

Someone squeezed her hand until she opened her eyes. That doctor was looking at her again. "Sweetie, are you taking any medications?"

Miley shook her head. Not since they had fallen prey to her mother's greed, anyway.

The doctor turned to the nurse right next to her, "Push .625 mg Enalapril, 400 mcg Lanoxin and hang 1 mg Bumex. And will someone find her mother, please?"

A nurse was stuffing Miley's dirty, partially burnt clothes into a bag on the side, and held something up, "I found a cell phone."

The doctor leaned over her again, "Is your mom's number in there?"

Miley nodded and closed her eyes again. She shivered and someone draped a blanket over her. Someone took her hand and squeezed it. Miley just wanted her mom.

* * *

Lilly was practically dreaming of breakfast at this point – huge plates filled to the brim with eggs and hash browns and bacon, stacks of pancakes on the side and a jug of orange juice. Her stomach growled again. Her mother's cell phone rang and Lilly groaned. It was probably her dad, calling to say he'd forgotten something and they'd have to turn around.

Susan glanced at the phone, not recognizing the number, but answered nevertheless. "Hello?"

"Hi, this is Karen, I'm a nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center. We have your daughter Miley in the ER. It's very important that you come down here right away."

The stranger's words didn't register at first; there were too many questions and things that made no sense. But the overwhelming response her brain was giving her, overriding everything else, was 'Miley needs you'. She blinked her eyes, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "O-of course, I'll be there as soon as I can."

She hung up, barely listening to the woman's directions. Her hands were suddenly shaking and nausea washed over her. Questions flew through her brain, a mile a minute. Lilly was staring at her now, worried.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Susan glanced at her daughter briefly, knowing this would crush Lilly, as well. Then again, maybe it was nothing. But if it was nothing, why did a nurse have to call her? Why was Miley at Vanderbilt, the hospital farthest from her house, but with the best critical care? Why had Luann not called?

"Miley is in the hospital," Susan said simply, eyes focused on the road.

Lilly's heart dropped. She could tell by her mother's reaction it was serious. She swallowed hard. "Mom, go faster."

Susan had half a mind to reprimand her daughter about speeding. She pushed on the gas pedal until the speedometer read 95.

* * *

Luann was leaning back against the propped up stretcher, eyes closed, breathing rhythmically. At least they'd stopped making such a huge fuss over her and only one doctor and a nurse were in the curtained-off area with her now. She knew they'd drugged her, because she felt a little woozy, but it was preferable to the pain in her arms. She heard the curtain pulled to the side and opened her eyes. The doctor from earlier stepped in, coming to stand by her bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She almost shrugged, but remembered the doctor currently wrapping gauze around her right arm. Luann pushed the mask on her face aside, instead. "I'll live."

The doctor managed a smirk. This girl wasn't the easiest patient, but he enjoyed her stubbornness and toughness. And it didn't hurt that the paramedics had told him she'd pulled her sister out of a burning trailer, disregarding her own safety.

"Yes, you will," he said and pulled up a stool to sit on. "Your head CT was clear, but you do have a minor concussion."

"When can I get out of here? I really need to see my sister," she said, as if a head injury was the least of her worries. It probably was.

"We want to keep you here at least four hours. You inhaled a lot of smoke and we just want to make sure your lungs and airways are doing okay."

Luann frowned, looking down at her arms and hands wrapped almost entirely in gauze. She couldn't remember burning them. "Can't I just sit with my sister? I'd still be here if something happened."

The doctor sighed, "Luann, your sister's at a different hospital."

Luann whipped her head around, immediately regretting it. "What do you mean? Where's Miley?"

He shook his head, "I'm not sure. But she wasn't brought here." Before Luann even had a chance to rip her mask and IV off, he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "Listen, if I get someone to try and track her down, will you sit still and continue breathing this oxygen?"

Luann hesitated. Miley had been so sick and scared and she needed her. But if she didn't know where she was going, what was the point of running out? She nodded slowly and the doctor squeezed her shoulder before walking off.


	26. All These Things Must Come to Pass

**Chapter 26 – All These Things Must Come To Pass**

"I can't reach her," Lilly said shakily, trying Luann's number for the third time. Perhaps Luann was with her sister and had her phone turned off, but somehow she doubted it.

"We're almost there," Susan said, tires screeching as she turned onto another street. She'd known all morning something was wrong, had felt it deep in her bones, but she never would have expected something like this. They'd always worried about Miley, just because of the seriousness of her condition, but a call like the one she'd just received was nothing short of horrific.

Lilly was tapping her foot nervously and Susan couldn't blame her. They'd hardly talked since the initial phone call, both too worried and lost in their thoughts. They didn't talk the next ten minutes until they reached the Medical Center. Susan normally wasn't one for road rage, but multiple times she almost yelled out at slow people crossing the street or foolish drivers blocking her way to a parking spot. Lilly practically sprinted to the ER entrance, though Susan followed at a more subdued speed. She went up to the front desk, hands shaking.

"Excuse me, I got a call that…my daughter was here," Susan said, hesitating just slightly before lying. Whatever was going on, it was obvious Miley's real mother wasn't around or they wouldn't have called her.

"Name?" the woman asked, sounding bored.

"Miley. Miley Jordan."

The woman typed something on her keyboard, before picking up the phone, "I'll page Dr. Black. Just have a seat in the waiting area."

It took another ten minutes of Susan waiting anxiously and Lilly pacing, before a tall, dark-haired woman in scrubs came and shook her hand. The doctor motioned for them to sit. Her face was serious and Susan grew even more worried. "Is Miley alright?"

"She's stable for now, but I am very concerned about her lungs. She inhaled a lot of smoke."

Susan narrowed her eyes, confused now. "I'm sorry, you said 'smoke'?"

"You don't know what happened?" Dr. Black asked, just as confused.

Susan shook her head, wondering briefly if she ought to tell the truth. But she didn't want to risk them not letting her see Miley. "Miley uh…doesn't live with me. What's going on, Dr.?"

"Miley was in a house fire. The paramedics brought her straight here because of her medical history. We've got her on oxygen and are closely monitoring her heart. Is she on any medications?"

Susan nodded, "Several, yes."

"She told us she wasn't," Dr. Black said, frowning. Lilly tugged on her mother's arm, face pale. Both women looked at her questioningly.

"Mom, Luann told me last weekend she's been out for weeks. Oh God, it's all my fault…I should've told you," Lilly said, suddenly panicking. Maybe if Miley had had her medication she wouldn't be so sick.

"You didn't know this would happen, honey," Susan said softly, shocked, however. She knew she'd left Miley with multiple months worth of her meds, just in case. The girl hadn't just run out.

Dr. Black interrupted them, "We've got her on medication now to help her heart and lungs. She's breathing a little easier, but I want you to know that she is still in critical condition. Her lungs are severely compromised. We are still running a few tests, but if you'd like to see her I'll show you the way. She's been asking for you."

Susan nodded and they both got up to follow the doctor. She thought of something suddenly, "Dr., where is Miley's sister?"

The doctor looked at her, "As far as we know, she was brought to a different hospital. Miley was sent here because of her condition."

Susan turned to her daughter, stopping her, "Lilly, I need you to call your dad. Tell him not to get on that plane and to find Luann."

"Mom," Lilly said, clearly not happy about this task.

Susan's face bore no room for argument, "Lilly, I need you to do this. I am going to see Miley and I will come get you in ten minutes, okay?"

Lilly turned around reluctantly, walking back into the waiting room. Susan followed the doctor to the trauma bay.

* * *

It was surprisingly quiet, unlike she'd imagined a busy ER to be. The doctor led her past multiple curtained off areas, before stopping by one and drawing the curtain back. Susan steeled herself for what she was about to see. Every time she'd seen Miley sick or hurting it had broken her heart, but this was so much worse. She'd purposefully sent Lilly away; she'd wanted to see how bad Miley was before letting her daughter see her.

The first thing she noticed, completely at random, was that Miley's bare feet were uncovered. She forced her eyes to travel upwards, across the blankets draped across the girl, past the multitude of wires and tubes vanishing underneath them, all the way to Miley's face. Susan swallowed the tears; she had to be strong, for all of her children. The girl's face was horribly pale and someone had obviously tried to clean off the soot, not completely successful. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, her eyes closed, head turned to the side. Even from where she stood, Susan could tell Miley's breathing was somewhat shallow and rather rapid.

Dr. Black walked up to the stretcher, taking Miley's chart from a nurse. Susan stepped closer, reaching out a hand to cover the girl's foot. It was ice-cold. She took a deep breath, forcing all the worry, heartache and anger into a deep, dark place. She needed to be on mom autopilot to get through this. Susan glanced at the doctor, "Can we get her some socks? Her feet are freezing."

The doctor motioned at the nurse, who left immediately. Susan pulled the blanket over Miley's feet and moved up to the head of the stretcher. She brushed the back of her hand across the brunette's cheek, noticing how warm the girl felt. Susan ran her hand across Miley's head and it came back dirty with ash and soot. She clenched her jaw to keep herself under control.

"She's asleep; she was exhausted from trying to breathe for so long. She has a few burns, mostly across her torso and legs, but they're minor. Like I said, our main concern is her breathing. We are going to admit her, at least overnight and see how she does on the oxygen and meds. Right now we are just waiting for a bed in the Children's Hospital for her. If you need anything, the nurse's station is right over there," Dr. Black said and left as soon as Susan nodded.

The woman pulled up the stool by the stretcher and sat, reaching for Miley's hand. It was cold, too, an IV line taped to the back of it. She wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn't. Lilly was still outside waiting for her and Miley needed her. And they still had no idea where Luann was and whether she was okay.

* * *

"Mother!" Luann yelled, loud enough for several heads to turn. Brenda turned as well, from her spot by the nurse's station. She seemed to consider ignoring Luann for a second, but figured it would be suspicious with everyone looking at them. She quite visibly took a deep breath and made her way over to the stretcher her daughter was sitting on.

Brenda was actually surprised Luann seemed fully conscious and coherent; not only had she been knocked out, but the twins had been in that fire for a while. She'd left them in there to burn, she knew. She'd opted to save herself, instead of them. That James had done so was no surprise, but she knew as a mother, her instincts should have been to save her children. She had felt no such thing.

She looked down at the girl, noticing the gauze around her arms. They were probably giving her some very powerful pain meds to take home. "Luann."

"Where is Miley?"

Brenda narrowed her eyes, confused. She'd expected Luann to make a scene or threaten her with CPS for not only starting the fire, but hitting Miley, as well. "Don't you remember what happened?"

Luann frowned. She didn't, nothing other than pulling her sister to safety. "I remember the fire…and Miley. I remember you not being there. What happened?"

Brenda felt a sudden jolt of excitement run through her. Luann remembered nothing about their fight and the alcohol and the drugs. Now if she could convince Miley not to say anything, if the girl even remembered, she'd be home free. "Space heater caught fire. We tried, but we couldn't get to you. I'm so glad you're alright."

Luann almost laughed at her mother. She would've bought the first part, but her mother was laying it on too thick and the girl knew she was lying. She just didn't know about what, but the why was perfectly clear to her. For now, however, she had more pressing issues. "We need to find Miley; she was really sick and she's not here."

"Look, I'm sure she's fine, wherever she is. I have to go. The Red Cross is setting us up with a room at the Motel 8."

Luann almost laughed again. "I'm not going anywhere without my sister."

"Suit yourself. You know where we'll be," Brenda shrugged. Luann knew her mother wanted her at that motel room about as much as Luann wanted to be there. Brenda turned, but Luann stopped her.

"You need to sign my discharge papers."

"Why?"

Luann rolled her eyes at the woman, "Because you're my **mother** and I'm sixteen."

"Just…fake my signature or something. I need to go." Brenda left without another look at her daughter. Luann sank back into the stretcher, wondering how the hell she was going to get out of there.

* * *

She awoke coughing. The coughs shook her body and made her gasp for breath again. She bent forward, wishing she could pull that damn mask off, but she knew how much it was helping her. The monitors around her began beating out a frantic rhythm, mimicking her heart. She tasted ash in her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. A warm, comforting hand rubbed her back and Miley leaned into the touch. Another arm encircled her from the front and pulled her against a warm, soft object. Miley's breath hitched and tears leaked from her eyes anew.

"Mom," she croaked, voice scratchy and hoarse.

"I'm here, sweet pea," Susan said softly, kissing the top of Miley's head – soot be damned. She had her arms wrapped around the girl's upper body, pressing Miley against her and rocking her back and forth lightly. The annoying beeping calmed down.

The nurse who had come back in to bring the socks was glancing at the noisy monitors and smiled at Susan encouragingly, "Good, her heart rate and blood pressure are dropping. Poor thing just needed her mom."

She left them alone again and Susan looked down at the girl in her arms. Miley's eyes were closed again, but she did look a lot more relaxed. She had so many questions, but knew this wasn't the time.

"Where's Luann?" Miley mumbled, wondering why her sister hadn't been by to see her.

Susan sighed, "I don't know, honey. They took her to another hospital. Your dad's out looking for her, though, he'll find her."

"She saved me…from the fire," Miley whispered.

Susan closed her eyes against the tears wanting to escape. "I know, honey. I know."

She didn't think she could keep it together for much longer, but knew she had to. She took a deep breath, "Lilly's waiting outside. Do you want her to come see you?"

Miley hesitated. She hated being weak in front of people, other than Luann and now her mom. Then she realized she was being stupid – it was Lilly. She nodded against Susan's chest and the woman kissed her head again, before walking out to grab the blonde.

* * *

"No, I'm in a cab on my way to the office. It'll be easier to make calls to all the area hospitals. Don't worry, honey, I'll find her," Robbie said, digging through his wallet for some cash. He'd left the airport the minute he'd gotten Lilly's call; or rather, the minute he was done fighting with the airline and security over letting him go. They'd actually called the hospital to confirm Miley was a patient there, before letting him leave.

"How is Miley?"

Lilly hadn't been able to give him too much information, but as he listened to his wife, his stomach churned. Miley's condition was serious and what worried them even more was that headstrong Luann was not by her sister's side. What if the older brunette was even worse off? He knew he had to find her as soon as possible and make sure both his daughters were okay.

* * *

"Your stomach," Miley said, looking at the blonde.

Lilly looked down at herself, wondering what Miley was talking about. Then she heard the growling and blushed. She had no idea how the brunette could even hear that over the beeping and background noise. She shrugged, "Haven't had breakfast yet this morning."

Miley looked away, feeling bad. Lilly had told her about their plans for the day, explaining how they had gotten there so quickly. She hadn't wanted to ruin their day. Lilly squeezed her hand and Miley looked up. They'd raised the back of the stretcher to prop her up and making breathing a little easier, but she still felt she wasn't getting enough air. At least her heart was no longer going totally crazy, having calmed down a lot since Susan and Lilly had gotten there.

She focused on her breathing, but it was so tiring taking in these useless breaths. Lilly seemed to notice her frustration and stood, leaning over her. She kissed Miley's forehead and cupped her girlfriend's cheek with her free hand. Lilly hated how scared and sad Miley's eyes were.

"You know I love you, Miles," the blonde said softly, brushing stray hair from the girl's eyes.

"I know," Miley said and Lilly smiled. Susan came back through the curtains, her face clearly displaying the stress she was feeling. She'd been in and out talking to Robbie, trying to locate Luann and keeping him updated on Miley's status. Lilly knew this whole thing was taking a toll on her mother, but the woman always managed to hide it when she came back in to see Miley.

"No luck, yet…don't worry, he'll find her," she said and sat on the stool across the bed from Lilly. Robbie had been at it for over half an hour and still nothing. The hospitals were being difficult and he hadn't had an easy time getting information from them.

"Lilly's…hungry," Miley said, fighting for breath between words.

"When isn't she?" Susan said, voice serious, eliciting a weak smile from the brunette.

"Hey, I'm still growing," Lilly mock-pouted.

Miley smiled again, looking at her girlfriend, "If you…get fat…I'm…dumping…you."

Lilly made a shocked face, but then leaned in conspiratorially, "You won't get rid of me that easily, Miles."

The brunette grinned briefly and wished Lilly could at least kiss her, but the stupid mask was in the way. She closed her eyes again, holding tighter onto her girlfriend's hand.


	27. It Shall Devour You

I know writing two stories at the same time is a horrible idea, but no worries, I think I'll still manage to update as I have been ;) This story is slowly coming to an end, but I promise there is plenty of excitement left...

* * *

**Chapter 27 – It Shall Devour You**

Luann had spent the better part of the last hour working out an escape plan in her head. Unfortunately, she still had no idea how to go about it and she blamed the drugs and concussion. And anyway, Miley was the smart one, not her. Thinking of her sister made her frown again. A nurse had told her they were still looking into where Miley was and though Luann didn't think she'd been lying, she wished they'd hurry up. It'd been two hours since she'd arrived at the ER and still no news.

She had almost convinced herself to just walk out, plan be damned, when the doctor from earlier came in, smiling. He looked at her chart and nodded, before meeting her eyes, "How are you feeling?"

"I want to see my sister."

She really was a difficult patient, but he marveled at her ability to ignore the pain and discomfort she was surely in over her concern for her sister. He smiled again, "I think I can help with that. Your father is here."

"My…what?" Luann said, eyes narrowed. The doctor frowned for a second, but figured maybe the drugs and concussion were making her confused. He motioned to someone and Luann opened her mouth in shock. Robbie walked up to her bed, looking like he was actually beyond thrilled to see her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Dad."

Robbie smiled and brushed a comforting hand across her head, "Hey honey, am I glad I finally found you."

She looked up at him, ready to bombard him with questions, but he stopped her, "Miley is at Vanderbilt. She's still in critical condition, but she's stable. Your mom and Lilly are with her."

Luann sighed. At least she knew Miley was alive, but it didn't sound like she was doing that great. She had to go see her. "I need to go see her, please."

Robbie looked at the doctor, "When can I sign her out? Her sister is pretty sick and we'd like to get over there."

"Ideally, I'd like to keep her here at least two more hours," the doctor said, but could see they were both about to protest. "Look, I'd rather she not leave this soon, but since you'll be at a hospital, I'll okay it. If anything is off at all, breathing, visual disturbances, you let them know over there, alright?"

Robbie nodded and Luann felt relieved, though she wondered if he was really going to sign her discharge papers. Did he know how much trouble he could get into? Luann didn't want him to get in trouble, but right now she really needed to see Miley. The doctor grabbed her chart and sighed. "Alright, I'll have someone bring by the discharge instructions and some prescriptions for her."

Luann leaned back and sighed. She just had to see Miley.

* * *

"Can I talk to you?"

Susan looked up at Dr. Black and nodded. She threw a glance at Miley, who was listening to one of Lilly's crazy skateboarding stories with her eyes closed, and got up, following the doctor to the nurse's station. Susan didn't like the serious look on the woman's face.

"What's going on?"

"Miley is not improving as much as we had hoped. Her heart is doing a bit better on the meds, but her lungs are severely compromised. She is working too hard to breathe and soon she won't be able to anymore. We are going to need to intubate her."

Susan clenched her jaw and swallowed the lump in her throat. She'd known this was going to happen, had noticed how much Miley was struggling to draw breaths, but it still came as a shock. The doctor's face was sympathetic.

"We will let you have a few moments with her before we put her under. I am also having her admitted to the Pediatric Critical Care Unit; they're standing by. I need you to sign the consent forms."

Susan paled. She knew there was no way she could sign those forms and get away with it; someone was going to find out she was not Miley's mother. She sighed. "Listen, Dr., I am not Miley's legal guardian."

Dr. Black frowned, "Then who is?"

"Her biological mother. My husband and I…we were Miley's foster parents, but she was sent back to her mother a month ago," Susan admitted, hoping against all odds they wouldn't kick her out.

The doctor sighed and rubbed a hand across her face, "You've put me in a really awkward situation here."

"I'm sorry, Dr., but I was, and am, only concerned for Miley's well-being. I don't know where her mother is or if she would care enough to sign those forms."

"Fine, I will have to go ahead without consent. I should really ask you to leave; I could get into huge trouble for divulging Miley's medical information to you," the doctor said, shaking her head. She could see Susan wanted to say something, but raised a hand to stop her, "I won't, because of my concern for my patient. Once she's in PCCU, it's out of my hands. I'll let you have five minutes with her, before we intubate. Now if you'll excuse me."

Susan sighed in relief and returned to Miley's bed. It was clear how hard she was working to breathe, but it didn't mean Susan wanted to see her daughter unconscious with a tube down her throat. She shook off her worry and took Miley's hand. The girl looked at her and Susan tried to explain what the doctor had told her as best as she could. Miley did not agree.

"Don't…let…them…please, mom. Please…I'll…never…wake up…again," Miley said, wheezing heavily now. She was crying and Susan had no idea how to calm her down. She didn't know why the girl would think she'd never wake up again.

"Honey, you'll be fine. We just need to give your lungs a chance to heal. And we'll all be here when you wake up," Susan said, stroking the girl's hair to calm her down.

Miley was too out of breath to argue and the crying was making it only worse, but she was clearly terrified. A nurse came up and lowered the head of the bed until Miley was lying flat and pulled the oxygen mask off her face. Miley was squeezing both Susan and Lilly's hands painfully. The blonde leaned over the railing of the bed and pressed a soft kiss to her girlfriend's lips.

"I'll be right here, Miley. I love you." Lilly couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes, though she tried to wipe them away inconspicuously. She pulled away to see a few people gathered around the bed. A nurse stepped past her and pushed the contents of a syringe into Miley's IV. Miley's grip loosened slightly, her eyelids drooping.

Susan bent down to kiss the girl's forehead, repeating Lilly's earlier words. She wasn't going to let go until Miley was truly unconscious, and merely stepped aside a bit for the nurse coming up next to her. The other nurse emptied another syringe into the IV and it wasn't long before Miley's hands went slack in Susan and Lilly's and her eyes closed. Someone moved them out of the way and a nurse put a bag-mask over the brunette's face, hand-pumping oxygen into her lungs.

Dr. Black stepped up, grabbing some tubes and instruments from a tray table to the side. A nurse added more medication to the IV. Lilly had expected there to be more shouting and frantically running hospital employees, but the whole thing seemed rather quiet and calm. Miley was simply asleep and the doctor skillfully and without much fuss, put the tube down her throat and stepped away. The nurses were looking over Miley, ensuring all the machines were still working, while Dr. Black stepped up to Lilly and her mother.

The doctor put a hand on Susan's arm, face sympathetic. Lilly noticed for the first time her mother was crying. "We're about to transfer her to the ICU. They're going to need some time to get everything situated, but I'll let them know to come get you as soon as she's settled. The waiting room is upstairs, 5th floor."

Susan nodded and mouthed a 'thanks' at the woman. Some orderlies came to move Miley. Lilly took her mother's hand.

* * *

Luann leaned her head against the headrest and took a deep breath. Robbie reached over her to secure her seatbelt, before starting the car. It had taken them forever to get out of that ER. They'd made Robbie sign multiple forms and went over the instructions for her bandages and medications about a dozen times. She'd made Robbie promise not to stop to get her prescriptions filled until she'd seen Miley and he'd agreed. She could deal with the pain for a while.

Robbie merged onto the freeway and Luann tried to relax. Miley had to be okay, she just had to be. A phone rang and Robbie cursed, fumbling in his jacket. He picked it up a few moments later. Luann couldn't tell who was on the other end, but Robbie's face seemed to fall somewhat. He hung up and sighed.

"They admitted Miley to the Children's Hospital. She's in the ICU."

Luann swallowed hard and tried to force the tears away. Miley would need her to be strong. She was about to beg Robbie to just go faster, when she noticed he was already way over the speed limit.

* * *

Susan stared down at the hospital bed as if she couldn't believe where she was. A nurse was explaining the ICU rules to her, her voice almost cheerful. Susan fingered the ID bracelet they'd made her wear which contained all of Miley's information. She glanced around the spacious room and into the attached family area. She knew she would not sleep anywhere else until Miley was better.

"Anyone under 18 has to leave by 9 pm. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us." The nurse adjusted one of the monitors around the bed and left. Susan sighed and turned to look at Lilly, who was sitting in a comfy armchair by the door. Her daughter looked as miserable as she felt herself.

She looked at Miley, feeling a pang in her chest every time she did. At least it seemed they had finally cleaned all the soot and dirt off her body and now she merely looked pale. She did just look like she was asleep and in a way she was. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically; the sound of the ventilator, along with the steady beeping of the heart monitor, were becoming Susan's lifelines.

"Honey, I really think I need to grab some food. Do you want to go to the cafeteria?" Susan asked her daughter, just realizing they never even ate breakfast. It was now just after 9 am.

Lilly shook her head, "I'll wait for dad. I don't want Miley to be alone."

Susan smiled softly and kissed the top of Lilly's head, before leaving the room. Lilly stood and walked over to the bed. She slipped her hand into Miley's and squeezed lightly. This was tearing her apart. It had been such a short time, but she already loved this girl so much. It had only been less than an hour since they'd put Miley under, but Lilly already missed her dearly. Missed her smile, her laugh, her beautiful eyes, her voice, the way she made fun of Lilly. She sighed heavily. The sliding door opened and she turned.

Luann looked worse than Lilly had ever seen her and she normally wasn't one to pull punches when it came to the brunette. The girl looked utterly exhausted, her face drawn. Lilly stepped back a bit and Luann came up to the side of the bed, staring at her sister in shock. She reached out a shaky hand, but drew it back and Lilly noticed the bandages wrapped around Luann's palm and wrist and vanishing under her sleeve.

"No." It sounded close to a moan, and never before had Lilly heard a word laced with such anguish. She looked at the brunette's face. Luann's chin was quivering, though she was clearly holding back. Lilly knew how horrible she felt and that it was probably ten times worse for Luann. And Lilly had gotten to say 'goodbye'. She moved a step closer.

"Luann."

The brunette looked at Lilly, their eyes meeting and suddenly Luann was in her arms, sobbing. Lilly bit her lip and wrapped her arms around the girl. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out nevertheless. Despite the twins being identical, Luann felt nothing like her girlfriend and it made Lilly want to cry harder. They stayed like that for several minutes, until Luann pulled away at last, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve carefully. The way she moved Lilly thought it seemed like she was in pain.

Luann closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, before looking at Lilly again, serious, "Let's never talk about this."

Lilly wanted to roll her eyes, but somehow it didn't feel the same to be fighting with Luann. Miley wouldn't want them to, had never wanted them to. She looked at the girl's clothes, however, and frowned, "Are you wearing dad's clothes?"

"Surprisingly, sweatshirts and pajama pants are not inflammable, Blondie. I made do," Luann said bitingly, though her words were nowhere near as venomous as they used to be. She moved to sit in the chair by the bed, sighing.

The blonde watched her and had to suppress a smile. Luann was wearing her father's sweats and they were probably five sizes too big for her. She looked absolutely ridiculous, but then Lilly remembered why the girl didn't care. She'd done whatever she had to, to get to Miley. She swallowed. "I think my soccer sweats are still in the car. They're clean if you…"

Luann looked at her, eyes narrowed, but after a few moments, she nodded, "Yeah, thanks, Blondie."

Lilly made a motion towards the door, though Luann's eyes were on her sister. "I'll go tell dad to get them…I…I don't wanna leave her."

Luann met her eyes, an understanding crossing between them. "Yeah." Luann looked away again and Lilly left the room to find her father.


	28. King of the Blind

An early update, amazing, I know! I'm trying to finish this story so I can focus on my other one, but I should have an update for that in a day or two, as well. I have no idea how this story got so long, I hope you're all still with me ;)

* * *

**Chapter 28 – King of the Blind**

Day 2

Soft, classical music filtered through the portable speakers set up on the small table. Luann walked into the room and stopped, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Is that Bach?"

Two pairs of eyes turned to her, incredulous and she made a face at them, "What? He's Miley's favorite. I know some things, you know."

She walked up to the armchair set up next to the hospital bed and perched on the armrest. Lilly didn't move or look at her, eyes focused solely on the girl in the bed. On the mechanical rise and fall of her chest and the electronically measured beats of her heart. Susan got up off her seat in the family area to the side and walked over to the girls. Luann looked at her, easily reading the questions on the woman's face and sighed.

"Everything's gone. Good thing I wasn't all that attached to anything." The girl shrugged and Susan put a hand on her shoulder. Luann might be playing tough, but Susan knew it must still be affecting her. Robbie had taken Luann to the trailer park to see if any of their things had made it through the fire. Susan was glad now the twins had decided to keep most of their stuff at the Stewarts' house when they'd left.

"Do you want to lay down for a bit on the sofa? I know you're exhausted," Susan said, rubbing her hand across the girl's back. The family had spent twelve hours the previous day watching Miley in shifts, until the nurses came to force out Luann and Lilly as they were minors. Luann had expectantly thrown a fit, though had thankfully been too weak and tired to really fight. Robbie had taken the two teens to a nearby hotel with the promise to return first thing in the morning. Susan had spent the night in Miley's room, the constant beeping and whirring of the machines her only companion.

Luann shook her head, "I want Miley to get better."

Susan sighed, looking down at the girl in the bed. "I know, honey. Come on, you need to take some painkillers and relax. Don't argue."

The brunette girl frowned, but stood nonetheless. She squeezed her sister's hand before letting Susan lead her to the sofa.

* * *

"Susan."

The brunette woman looked up from her spot in the chair and her features darkened. She stood, tossing her book onto the chair and crossed her arms, before walking towards the door. Now she was even more grateful for having forced Luann into an uneasy sleep and Lilly to the cafeteria.

"Loreen," she greeted the woman, voice on the border of hostile. The social worker slid the door shut behind her, some folders in her arms.

She sighed as she looked at Susan, "You know you are not supposed to be here."

"Where would you be if your daughter were seriously ill?"

"She is not your daughter, Susan. She has a mother, who is her legal guardian and she needs to be making Miley's medical decisions, not you."

Susan scoffed, "Yes, strangely enough I haven't seen the woman. Have you?"

"That's not the issue here. You are interfering in Ms Jordan's custody of her daughters. Were you aware that Luann did not stay with her mother in their Red Cross assigned hotel room last night?"

"Was her mother aware she was not there or did you have to figure it out for her?" Susan was trying to keep her voice low, because she did not want Miley hearing, unconscious or not, but she was getting angry.

Loreen frowned, not having anything to say to an accusation that was probably true. She knew Brenda Jordan was not a great mother, but everything so far pointed to her at least trying. They had not had any accusation from the twins, though Loreen would take anything Luann said a little more skeptically. Her eyes scanned across the hospital room, settling on the girl in the bed. Susan followed her gaze, eyes dark.

"You did this to her, you know? You sent her back to that woman who doesn't give a rat's ass what happens to those girls. Can you really live with yourself knowing you could have avoided this?"

Loreen swallowed and took a step back. She looked at the other woman sadly. "We've been friends for years, Susan. What happened?"

Susan relaxed her stance somewhat and shook her head, "The safety and well-being of my daughters is more important than anything, Loreen. I know, they're not mine. But I can guarantee you if they were, we wouldn't be here."

"I'm going to have to tell the hospital staff you are not Miley's mother. You should consider yourself lucky you're not getting charged for interfering with custody, or god forbid, kidnapping for taking Luann somewhere." Loreen's voice sounded serious and final and Susan wondered if anyone would find out if she strangled the woman. She couldn't leave Miley, not when she needed her so badly.

"You're fucking insane, lady."

Both women turned to see Luann getting off the sofa and coming over. She stood directly in front of Loreen, though she looked nowhere near as tough and intimidating as before.

"I was here all night, with my sister, not with Susan. And really, what custody is she interfering with? If mother cared so much, she shouldn't have left me at the hospital alone and she would've been by to see Miley. She wouldn't have left us alone in a burning house. Why don't you put that in your report?"

Loreen didn't know what to say to that or whether it was even true. She shook her head, "Look, this isn't…"

Luann grabbed her arm to stop her, looking at her with desperation in her eyes. Loreen had never seen the girl look so vulnerable and open as at that moment. "Please, Miley needs Susan. She **needs** her to be here. Please…she could die and…I need her, too. Just let her stay, please."

Loreen swallowed hard. She hadn't ever expected Luann to say something sincere or to see tears in the girl's eyes. She pulled away from the girl's grip. Her eyes fell to the hospital bed again, to all the machines hooked up to that small body. She felt their desperation. She closed her eyes briefly before turning to leave.

"Fine, I'll…I won't say anything." She left without another word and headed straight for the nurse's station. Deep inside she knew she'd done the right thing, but if someone found out she could be in serious trouble. But Loreen couldn't shake the haunting look of Luann's eyes from her mind. She wouldn't tell the staff about Susan, but she did have to tell them about Brenda. The woman had a right to visit her own daughter in the hospital.

* * *

Lilly blinked her eyes open sleepily and was greeted with Miley's face mere inches from her own. She opened her mouth in shock, her eyes boring into the impossible blue ones in front of her. Lilly blinked again and pushed the brunette away from her, scowling.

"What the fuck, Luann?"

Luann grinned, backing away from the chair. Lilly stood, face still sleepy, hair somewhat mussed, eyes angry. "I was just testing you."

Lilly rolled her eyes and moved to the side to grab her bottle of water. "You really think I can't tell the difference between you and Miley?"

Luann shrugged, following the blonde, "You **are** blonde, Blondie."

"Well, for one, if you're gonna try to trick me, don't chew watermelon bubblegum. Miley hates it."

The brunette made a face at Lilly's back, but said nothing else. She hadn't seriously attempted to trick the blonde into thinking she was Miley, but she liked messing with her. She waited until Lilly turned, before she spoke, "I'm going down to the cafeteria with dad. You'll stay with Miley?"

"Of course I will," Lilly said, already moving back to the bed in the center of the room. Luann left and Lilly leaned over the side of the bed, looking down at her girlfriend.

"Miles, you have to get better. You can't leave me alone with your sister for this long, it's torture."

She reached out a hand, tracing her fingertips across her girlfriend's forehead and cheek. Miley's skin was pale and dull, even her hair seemed to have lost all its shine. They'd taped her eyes shut to keep them from drying out, but Lilly missed seeing them. She'd loved looking into Miley's eyes from the moment she'd met her. Miley's smile always made her heart beat faster; now there was just that damn tube. Lilly didn't hate the tube, it was keeping her girlfriend alive after all, but it was hard seeing the girl she loved like this.

"Come on, Miley, I know you can pull through. There are too many things you haven't done, yet. I promised you I'd take you to prom; you can't just make me go back on my word like that."

Miley didn't move or acknowledge her, but Lilly hadn't expected her to. The ventilator kept pushing breath after breath into the brunette's lungs, forcing her to stay alive. Lilly took Miley's hand into hers and bit her lower lip.

"I know you can hear me. Don't give up, okay? You stay with us. I love you, Miley."

With a heavy sigh Lilly sat back in the chair and grabbed Miley's book from the table. They'd been taking turns reading to Miley, some biography on Abraham Lincoln that Lilly's teachers would sure be thrilled to find out she was reading. The book was so boring, however, they'd all had a hard time reading for more than a few minutes at a time. She flipped to where Luann had placed the bookmark and began reading.

* * *

Day 3

Brenda took the wristband the nurse handed her without looking at it and turned towards where the woman was pointing. She'd seen the skeptical looks on their faces, but decided to ignore them. She walked along the hallway and stopped in front of Room 5415, looking in through the partially open sliding door. She frowned at what she saw.

Her first concern was not the deathly still shape of her daughter in the hospital bed, but the woman she did not know by the bedside. The brunette woman was leaning over the bed, talking to the unconscious girl and stroking her hair. Brenda could not hear what she was saying, but the look on her face was tender and loving. Then she noticed Luann sitting in a chair to the side, staring bored at some books spread on her lap. The girl sighed and leaned her head back.

"Luann, do your homework," the woman said without turning around. Brenda frowned again. Who was this woman to tell her daughter what to do?

"I don't want to," the girl spit out bitterly. Brenda knew it was only a matter of time before Luann threw a fit.

"Luann." The woman's voice was stern and much to Brenda's surprise, the girl only huffed and returned to her books.

Brenda had seen enough. She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Luann noticed her first and made a move as if to charge her. The dark-haired woman stopped her with a motion of her hand. Brenda still wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"What're you doing here?" Luann asked, standing up.

"Miley is in the hospital, what do you think I'm doing here?"

Luann clenched her jaw; she felt like crying seeing her mother. Miley wouldn't want her here, not when she had Susan instead. Brenda walked further into the room, stopping right at the end of Miley's bed. Luann stepped up to the side of it, glaring at her mother.

"Miley has been here for over a day and you just now show up?"

Brenda tore her eyes away from the girl in the bed and looked at Luann. Seeing Miley like this, it moved something inside of her. That was her baby, her sweet Miley, who had always loved her despite everything Brenda had done to her. Miley didn't deserve this. Her thoughts were jumbled, confused, and she did not even have an excuse for Luann. She hadn't cared about them, yesterday when she was high. Brenda thought the twins had spent the night wherever they normally disappeared to on the weekends; it wasn't until that annoying CPS lady had stopped by did she find out about Miley.

"Please…just leave," Luann said, her voice more desperate than Brenda had ever heard it before. The dark-haired woman put a hand on Luann's shoulder. Brenda knew that should be her, comforting her daughter, stroking Miley's hair when she was sick. But it wasn't; it had never been.

"You're my daughters and I need to be here," Brenda said simply, trying to remind herself why she was even here. They didn't need her; they had this woman to replace her.

Luann looked defeated. She shook her head, "Why? You've never cared before. You don't love us. You don't want us. Can't you just leave us alone when Miley is dying?"

Brenda knew those words weren't completely true. There was a part of her that loved them, but the overwhelming majority of her pushed these feelings down, caring more for the drugs she'd been using for years. "Don't talk about things you know nothing about. You are my daughters and I do love you."

Luann met her eyes intently, "If you loved us at all, if there's just one tiny piece of love left in you, you'd give us up. You'd let us go."

She hadn't expected her daughter to say those words. Her first instinct was to get angry. They were her daughters; she had raised them and sheltered them and fed them. How could Luann just ask her to hand that over to someone else? But mostly she was shocked. Luann might hate living with her, but had never hated it more than foster care. She didn't know how to respond and instead turned to walk out.

Susan motioned for Luann to stay and followed the woman out of the room. She closed the door behind her and Brenda turned to look at her, face disgusted.

"I don't know who you think you are, trying to take my daughters away."

"I'm not trying to take them away. I love them and I want what's best for them. They need someone who can take care of them," Susan said softly, Luann's pleading ringing in her ears.

Brenda scoffed, "And you think that's you?"

Susan shrugged, "I would love to take them, but I would be happy to see them in a good place even if it's not with us. I know you love your daughters; don't you think it's time you did right by them?"

Brenda had half a mind to rip into the woman for telling her what to do with her daughters, but a doctor walked up, interrupting them. He glanced at Brenda, but looked at Susan seriously. "Mrs. Stewart, can I speak to you? In private?"

Susan didn't like the look on his face. She wanted to get rid of Brenda, but the woman **was** their mother. She crossed her arms defensively, as if expecting bad news. "It's fine. What's going on, doctor?"

"I just got back some of Miley's test results. It looks like she's developing ARDS, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. This is a very serious condition, especially considering her medical history. It causes fluid build-up in the lungs and makes them very stiff so they're unable to take up as much oxygen. Considering how poorly her blood was getting oxygenated before, we are very concerned by this."

Susan closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. Why could things not go right for them for once? She shook her head to try and clear it, "What does this mean? Is she…is Miley going to…"

He stopped her by putting up his hand, "I don't want you to give up hope. We are going to do everything in our power to help her, but I want you to be aware that at this point we are fighting a difficult battle for her life."

Susan nodded numbly and he gave her a sympathetic look, squeezing her arm before walking into the room to check on Miley. She stared ahead blankly, letting his words sink in. She'd have to tell Luann, and Lilly, and she dreaded it. She might have to see Miley, her daughter in almost every way, die. Then she remembered Brenda still standing across from her, eyes slowly tracking up to meet the woman's.

Brenda tried to hide her own shock at the doctor's words. She'd always brushed off Miley's medical issues as being exaggerated and indicative of a weak child, but here her daughter might very well die. And then there was that tiny part in the back of her brain that kept telling her this was her fault. She shook off the unease and sneered at the other woman, "**Now** do you still want them?"

Susan scoffed, "Weren't you listening? I **love** them, no matter what. This doesn't change a thing. Think about what you said in there. If you really love them, you'll do the right thing."

She turned and walked back into Miley's room without another glance at the other woman. Brenda watched her go, mad the woman and Luann had gotten under her skin. She chanced one last look into the room, at Miley's still form, before walking out of the ICU.


	29. Four Minutes to Midnight

Another chapter I almost forgot to post. I seem to be very forgetful. How did this story get so long? Well, thanks to everyone who has stuck with it throughout and especially those of you who review. It means a lot! Enjoy...

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**Chapter 29 – Four Minutes to Midnight**

Day 4

Lilly looked at the book in her hands somewhat skeptically. Collectively they'd gone through two ultra-boring non-fiction books Miley had wanted to read, not to mention the multiple audio books and classical albums Lilly had downloaded onto her iPod. The ICU had a small library of books and Lilly had spent the better part of an hour trying to find something above a third-grade reading level. She sighed, looking at her girlfriend.

"This might not be something you'd normally read, Miles, but it was all I could find. It **is** a children's hospital, you know. Just…yeah," Lilly trailed off, staring at the silent brunette for a moment, before opening the book. The door opened and Lilly looked up as Luann walked in.

The brunette came up to her right away, an angry look on her face, "**What **are you doing?"

Lilly scrunched up her face, confused, "Uh…"

Luann grabbed the book from her hands, "_Twilight_? Do you **want** her to die?"

Lilly rolled her eyes; Luann always had a flare for the overdramatic. She turned and crossed her arms, facing the other girl. Luann stared at the book in distaste and tossed it onto the chair, handing Lilly a different one. Lilly looked at the cover and frowned – another non-fiction book. Of course, she would read the Tax Code to Miley if it meant her girlfriend survived. She noticed Luann holding something else and motioned at it. Luann held up the item and Lilly raised her eyebrows.

"Is that Possie? I thought he died in the fire."

Luann shrugged, "He did. This is Possie the Second. Miley was…really attached to him. I thought maybe…we don't have to tell her."

The brunette held out the stuffed animal and Lilly took him gently, then made a face, "Why is he wet?"

Luann smirked, "Naughty little thing." Seeing the look on the blonde's face, she rolled her eyes, "The nurses steam cleaned him or something…I guess they thought he was **dirty**."

Lilly rolled her eyes again at Luann, but turned and brushed the little possum against Miley's cheek. "Look Miles, someone's come to say 'hello'. Possie said if you don't get better, he's gonna be pretty mad at you."

She tucked him under Miley's hand, wrapping the unconscious girl's finger around his soft, slightly wet, fur. Lilly sighed heavily and looked up to see Luann standing across from her. She watched the brunette staring at her sister for a few moments, before interrupting the silence.

"Thanks, Luann, that was really sweet of you."

Luann looked up slowly, "I'd do anything for Miley." Their eyes were locked and neither spoke for a few moments, before Luann sighed, "Even accepting that her girlfriend is not evil incarnate."

Lilly gaped, not sure what to say to that. They had been fighting for the better part of six months and it almost sounded like Luann was offering peace. When she didn't respond, Luann sighed again, "I love my sister, but I guess…I guess I know you do, too. And you've made her happy and that's all I've ever really wanted for her. I just…it seems stupid to waste energy hating you when…when Miley's…"

Luann trailed off and the blonde could see the tears filling the girl's eyes. She felt a lump in her own throat and swallowed hard. They both knew Miley might very well die; Susan had told them about the doctor's fears yesterday. She tried to blink the tears away and reached across the bed. Luann stared at her for a second, before taking the blonde's hand in hers.

They were looking at Miley, so peaceful and still. They were quiet for a while, before Luann cleared her throat, "Just so you know, if you hurt her, I will still kill you."

The corner of Lilly's mouth twitched imperceptibly and she pulled her hand out of Luan's grasp, "Right."

* * *

Brenda's thoughts had been all over the place all day and it was driving her insane. She hadn't been back to the hospital since the first time, not sure whether it was because she was trying to avoid everyone else, or whether she didn't want to see Miley like that. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt guilty about anything, but over the past few days, years of her being a mother to her daughters had passed through her mind. She'd done the best she could, but she knew it wasn't good enough.

James sat against the headboard of the bed next to her, already flicking his lighter under the light bulb he held. She watched him, her own body immediately responding to the sight. She needed those drugs and Brenda didn't think she'd ever stop needing them. Her daughters had seen so much they shouldn't have over the years. She'd spent more time getting high or finding a way to get high than be with her girls.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" James said, looking at her crossly. She knew she'd been moody ever since going to the hospital.

"Just shut up," she said, trying to get him to back off. There were times when she couldn't stand being near him and she thought about the many times he'd hit one of her daughters. A picture of Miley, face bloody, flashed across her mind and she shook her head.

"Is this about those brats again?"

"You don't know what yer talkin' about," she said gruffly, taking the light bulb from his hands. He flicked the lighter and she inhaled deeply. Waves of pleasure descended upon her and she leaned back heavily.

"You know, if that rich lady want those brats so badly, why ain't you asking her for money?" James said.

Brenda looked at him, "What?"

"Shit, get rid of them, you ain't ever wanted 'em. Just ask for somethin' in return."

Brenda stared ahead, thinking about his words. They were her daughters and she couldn't just give them up like that. Their father had wanted them so badly; they were all she had left of him. Luann's words of desperation rang in her head, but she pushed them down and closed her eyes.

* * *

Day 5

Luann sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair, watching the nurse carefully. She'd kicked out everyone else; they didn't need to be seeing her sister like that, but she refused to leave Miley alone.

Luann smirked, "A hot nurse is giving you a sponge bath and you're not awake to enjoy it. Serves you right, Miles, for not fighting harder."

The nurse threw a look at Luann and the girl narrowed her eyes, "Is there a problem?"

The woman shook her head and chuckled, "No, no, I just can't remember the last time someone called me 'hot'. Do you always lie to your sister?"

Luann smirked, looking at the woman. She was probably in her mid-sixties, with wiry gray hair and thick glasses. "Don't sell yourself short, Helen."

As soon as the woman was done and left the room, Susan came back in. She stood behind Luann, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders. Luann was incredibly tense. "Come on, hun, we're all going to lunch. And your bandages need to be changed."

Luann turned to look up at Susan, "Who's staying with Miley?" She'd almost forgotten about the burns on her arms, especially since Susan kept forcing her to take all her pills.

"Dr. Carr is going to try and drain some of the fluid from Miley's lungs. He hopes it'll make enough of a difference temporarily to allow them to recover. But he doesn't want us in the room for the procedure. So, say goodbye to your sister and grab your stuff. We'll be back in an hour."

Luann thought about protesting, but realized it would be stupid. The ICU had already given them so much leeway with letting Lilly and Luann stay in the room with Miley without adult supervision and even allowing them to visit more than a few hours a day. She sighed and stood, kissing her sister's forehead, before following Susan out the door.

* * *

Susan had just finished washing her hands as required before entering Miley's room, when she felt someone behind her. She turned, surprise showing on her face at what she saw. Brenda stood before her, looking horrible. The woman's eyes were bloodshot, dark circles underneath them and her face seemed sunken. Her hair was unkempt and her clothes reeked of something Susan didn't recognize. She couldn't believe the woman would come into a hospital like that. She mentally calculated how much time she had to get rid of the woman before Robbie returned from dinner with the kids.

The two women merely stared silently at each other for a while and Susan felt wholly uncomfortable. She tried to think of something to say, perhaps ask Brenda what she wanted, when the woman crossed her arms.

Brenda's lips were pressed into a thin line and she seemed to be fighting an internal struggle with herself. Finally she spoke. "If you want my girls, you can have them."

Susan opened her mouth in shock, not sure if she'd heard right. Brenda sounded, and looked, utterly defeated, but there was still a hint of anger in her voice. "W-what?"

"Luann and Miley. You said you wanted to be their mother. I will sign my rights over to ya, if you want 'em."

"I…uh." A weird buzzing rang in Susan's ears and her heart was going a million miles a minute. Was she dreaming or was Brenda really offering her guardianship of the twins? She was too stunned to form a coherent thought, but when Brenda raised an eyebrow at her, Susan shook her head to clear it. "Y-es, yes, of course, I want to be their mother."

Brenda nodded and exhaled deeply. Her eyes bore into Susan's sternly, "If you take 'em, that's it…I won't have to pay for nuthin' no more."

Susan shook her head numbly, "No…we'll take care of everything. I uh…my husband has some connections…I'm sure he can get us a quick court date."

"Fine. Just let me know," Brenda said gruffly, though Susan could tell she was not okay. Before the woman could turn to walk away, Susan stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Thank you. You're doing the right thing." Her eyes were watering just thinking of the possibility of finally having her hopes come true. Of finally being able to call Miley and Luann her daughters.

Brenda met her eyes for a few moments, before pulling away. "Don't I know it."

Susan watched her go, surprised that she almost felt a bit sorry for the woman. She couldn't imagine having to make the choice to give up your daughters so they could lead a better life. She couldn't imagine what it was like to realize you had failed your children so miserably. With a heavy sigh, she turned to wash her hands again. Her whole body was thrumming with nervous energy and she urged Robbie to hurry back.

As she entered Miley's room, Susan knew she would not share this with the kids. If Brenda backed out, she'd be devastated, but it'd be even worse for Luann. She couldn't get their hopes up, if there was even a tiny chance things would fall through. Susan sat in the chair by Miley's bed and grabbed her magazine from the table. She let the classical music playing on loop wash over her and for a brief moment, she felt like things might be okay.


	30. The Eleventh Hour

I was asked to keep up the happiness and hope...this is what I came up with. But hey, it's pretty long. ;) Just remember, it's not the end...

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**Chapter 30 – The Eleventh Hour**

Day 7

The atmosphere in the room was nearly unbearable and a strange silence suffocated them, interrupted only by the beeping of the heart monitor. The doctor flipped some pages in the chart and looked at the four people gathered around him. The look on his face was somber and the others could clearly read his features. Luann was standing, arms crossed despite the discomfort it caused her, and she was trying to stop the trembling taking over her body. Susan sat in the armchair, but was clutching her hands so tightly she was leaving fingernail marks in her skin. Robbie stood behind Lilly, his hands on her shoulders, though neither was sure whether it was to hold her back or keep him up.

Dr. Carr took a deep breath as he looked at them. "I just got the latest test results back. Miley's lungs are still severely compromised and her body is starved for oxygen. Her heart just can't keep up anymore. At this point, we don't expect her to make it through the night. I'm so sorry."

Someone sobbed and Susan noticed Luann make a rash movement, like she was trying to run, but the woman grabbed her hand and pulled the girl onto her lap. As soon as Susan's arms wrapped around Luann, the girl was bawling, trying to break free. Susan held on as best she could, numbness spreading inside of her body. Tears were blinding her own vision and she barely managed to nod at the doctor as he left the room. Luann was now clutching onto her, squeezing her so tightly she could barely breathe, but she did not care. How would she ever care about anything again if Miley died? What was she supposed to say to Luann, who was losing her twin? What did she say to Lilly, watching her first love die? How would she say goodbye to a daughter she'd just found?

She turned her head slightly to look at her husband. There were tears in Robbie Ray's eyes as well and he was hugging a crying Lilly. Their eyes met, an understanding passing between them. They were the only ones in this room to know that Susan had a 10 o'clock appointment at Family Court to become the twins' legal guardian. So far, Brenda had not retracted her offer, but Susan's nervous energy from before had been replaced with an utter sadness. Nevertheless, she knew this would change nothing.

No one spoke for a long time, the only sounds Luann's sobbing and the beeping of the machines that suddenly seemed so mocking. Eventually Susan noticed the time and realized with a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that they'd have to go soon. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Luann, honey, we have to go," Susan said, her own voice stuffy. She wiped the tears from her eyes as the girl leaned back.

"What?" Luann managed to get out between sobs, looking at Susan in confusion. She couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening, a despair so heavy it was choking her blocking out everything else. She could not lose Miley. She would die, too, she knew. How could she survive without her twin, the other part of her?

Susan sighed, wiping the tears from Luann's face, too. "We…we have a court date…so I can become your and Miley's legal guardian."

Luann stared at the woman, not sure what to think or feel. How could this be happening **now**? Why would something Miley had wanted so desperately not occur until she would no longer be able to enjoy it? She merely shook her head, trying to get her raging emotions under control.

"I know it's poor timing, honey and I'm sorry I have to drag you away, when…but they need your consent," Susan said softly. She hardly wanted to leave herself, though she wanted desperately to be able to call them her daughters.

Luann pulled back, not speaking for a while. She still sat on Susan's lap, like a little girl, but she couldn't remember a time she'd ever sat on her mother's lap like this. It made new tears leak from her eyes. She'd have what they'd always wanted and Miley…Miley would have nothing. Bile rose in her throat but she swallowed it. Luann did not want to leave her sister, not when they had so little time left. But she knew Miley would want this; want this for herself and for Luann.

She nodded, "Let's go, then."

Susan smiled softly and kissed her forehead, before the girl stood. Susan followed suit and was surprised to see Lilly and Luann hugging. She reached for her husband and the tears spilled a new when his strong arms wrapped around her.

* * *

"I've been told about your circumstances and I'm very sorry. I'll try to make this as quick as possible, okay?"

Susan nodded at the judge, though the numb feeling had yet to leave her body. Luann sat besides her, face a mask of indifference, but Susan knew the girl was barely keeping it together. At least the judge had not made them wait and he seemed sympathetic enough. He flipped through some pages in front of him and looked at Brenda to the left of Susan.

"Ms. Jordan, you are willing to transfer guardianship of your daughters to Mrs. Stewart?"

Brenda nodded, her face unreadable. She hardly looked any better than two days ago when Susan had seen her in the hospital and she hoped the woman was at least sober. She was still amazed she had shown up in the first place. The judge turned to her.

"Mrs. Stewart, you are petitioning the court for legal guardianship of Luann Jordan and Miley Jordan, is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Honor," she said softly, tears springing to her eyes just hearing Miley's name.

"Do you understand that since you are circumventing Children's Services in this case, you will not be eligible to receive monthly allotments for being their guardian?"

"Yes," Susan nodded, wishing he would just hurry up. The least she could do is give Miley a few hours of truly having a real family.

The judge flipped through more pages, frowning at times. It looked as if he had both girls' CPS files in front of him, judging by the thickness. He sighed once or twice and then pulled out some papers, confusion on his face. "Why do I have adoption paperwork in here?"

Susan paled; she had almost forgotten about filling out those forms months ago. Back when her stupid gut had told her to, that things would turn out right eventually. "I uh…I filled those out a long time ago…just in case the girls were ever eligible. They weren't supposed to be in there."

She felt Luann looking at her, but couldn't meet the girl's eyes. She had never told anyone but Robbie about those forms; how had they gotten in the girls' files? The judge looked back at the papers and then turned his gaze back on Susan.

"You no longer want to adopt?"

She felt flustered and afraid she had screwed everything up. Why was he asking her these things? "No…I mean…we know how long the process is and…it seemed more important to get them out of their current situation…and now with Miley…we wanted her to be legally part of the family…before she…"

He nodded; he'd been told the girl was not expected to live. He looked at Luann, "Do you want to live with the Stewarts, have them be your legal guardians?"

"Yes, of course," Luann said, voice soft. Did he even have to ask? He was clearly reading her and Miley's CPS files.

"What about your sister?"

Luann smiled sadly, tears pooling in her eyes. She met his gaze, "It's all she's wanted since we first went to live there. She's been calling the Stewarts 'mom' and 'dad' for months. You can't imagine how happy she'd be."

The judge returned her sad smile and scribbled something on the papers in front of him. He looked back at Brenda, "Ms. Jordan, you are willing to sign away your parental rights?"

Susan narrowed her eyes in confusion; this wasn't the plan. Brenda was supposed to transfer guardianship to Susan, because Susan had been afraid of longer delays, more paperwork and CPS stepping in otherwise. Brenda seemed even more confused and Susan realized she probably didn't understand the difference.

"I said I would," the woman said gruffly, acting put out.

"Do you understand that if you do, you have no more legal rights to your daughters? This means you do not have to pay child support, you cannot make medical, legal or education decisions for them and there is no right to inheritance."

"Right."

He nodded and handed some papers to his bailiff, who brought them to Brenda to sign. Once she did, the bailiff returned them to the judge, whose face was unreadable as he looked at Susan. She was extremely worried now. "Mrs. Stewart, as for your petition for legal guardianship, I am going to deny it."

If Susan hadn't already been sitting, she knew she would have collapsed. She reached for Luann's hand under the table and squeezed it. Regardless of what happened here, it wouldn't change a thing to her. But it was hard to fight through the overwhelming depression settling over her. The judge was looking at them intently, clearly noticing their distressed faces, and continued before too long.

"How fast can you get your husband to come down here?" he asked casually and Susan frowned.

"W-what?" she asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

The judge leaned forward, his eyes intense, "Mrs. Stewart, if you and your husband are willing, you are going to adopt Luann and Miley, today. I've read their files and quite frankly, I do not want to risk the chance that their mother one day changes her mind and petitions for the return of her guardianship. You've got all the paperwork ready; I don't see a reason to delay. Do you want to adopt them?"

Susan couldn't remember ever having been on a worse rollercoaster; first plummeting to new lows and suddenly having her wildest dreams right before her nose. It was difficult to really fathom what the judge was saying, because she knew it could not be that easy. There were so many rules and regulations concerning adoptions and paperwork and home visits and they had done none of that for Miley and Luann. Then again, the last two times they had adopted, they'd had to go through CPS, adding months of red tape. Susan thought back to the papers Brenda had signed – she had indeed signed away her parental rights. The girls could be her daughters completely – in her heart, in name, in every way but the biological one. She was so lost in her jumbled thoughts, Susan hadn't even answered. It wasn't until Luann nudged her in the side none too gently that she looked up at the judge.

"I would love nothing more, Your Honor."

He nodded with a smile and closed the folders in front of him, "Good. Your husband has thirty minutes to get down here."

The judge stood and walked off to his chambers, leaving them alone. Susan frantically searched for her cell phone and was about to call, when she saw Brenda, walking off alone. She pushed the phone into Luann's hands.

"Call your dad at the ICU and explain. I'll be right back."

She caught up with the woman, stopping her. Brenda glared at her. "I just wanted to say 'thank you', again."

Brenda wanted to say something rude or hurtful, but that look of love and understanding in the woman's eyes made her speechless. This was the way her daughters would be looked at from now on. Someone was going to love them. She clenched her jaw to keep her emotions in check; she was certainly going to get drunk as soon as she was out of here. "Yeah, just…take care of them. I know I didn't."

She turned and walked away, leaving Susan standing in the hallway alone. She returned to the courtroom and found Luann, who was sitting, tapping her foot nervously. Luann stopped as Susan sat next to her and returned the phone with a weak smile. Susan wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders and together they waited.

* * *

Lilly lowered the railing of the bed and climbed up next to Miley. She didn't care that the nurses would surely come to yell at her; what did it really matter anymore at this point? Though she'd made sure to properly sanitize her hands and arms; she wasn't totally going to break the rules. Lilly stretched out next to Miley, lying on her side, head propped on her left hand. With her right hand, she reached for Possie and sat him on the brunette's chest. Possie the Second, she mentally corrected herself.

In a fit of boredom Luann had wrapped the stuffed toy almost entirely with bandages, making him look like a demented possum mummy. Only his beady little eyes and his ears were still visible and Lilly sincerely hoped he wasn't the first thing Miley saw when she woke up. Then she remembered. Miley was not going to wake up.

Lilly tried to force the tears away, but it was impossible now. Her dad had stormed out of the room maybe fifteen minutes ago, saying something about going to the courthouse, leaving Lilly alone with Miley. It was almost eerie, this empty room, Miley deathly still. The blonde ran her fingers along Miley's forehead, past her eyebrows, down her nose and around her cheeks. She cupped the brunette's cheek, her eyes focused entirely on the still face of her girlfriend. This just wasn't fair. Lilly swallowed a sob.

"I-I know you can hear me, Miley…and I just want you to know that I love you…and I'm here…until your last breath," Lilly said softly, voice breaking. She swiped at the tears leaking from her eyes.

"There was so much I wanted to tell you, still…and now it's too late…you know I would do anything for you, Miley…I would take all your pain away, if I could…I just hope…wherever you're going, you'll be happy…and I'll miss you."

The vice-like grip around her heart was nearly unbearable. She wanted to scream or shake Miley awake or hold a gun to the doctor's head until he fixed her girlfriend. Sobs spilled from her lips and soon they shook her entire body, raw pain leaking from her. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head; her vision was almost obscured from the tears.

"Lilly," Jackson said, his own voice shaky at the sight of his sister in such distress. He'd mostly avoided the hospital in the past week, because he had quite a phobia of them, but he, too, knew he couldn't stay away when Miley was so close to being taken from them. He might not have shown it much, but he had liked Miley and he'd come to think of her and Luann as his sisters.

Lilly said nothing to her brother, but was glad for his presence. She buried her face in Miley's shoulder, holding onto her girlfriend as best as possible with the tubes and machines attached to her. Lilly continued to cry, while Jackson stood behind her, lost. An alarm went off on one of the monitors above the bed. Lilly clutched Miley tighter, panic flooding her system. It couldn't be time, yet.

A nurse came in immediately and did not even comment about Lilly's position. She checked the monitors and wrote something on the chart. Her face was somber, but they had all been like that for a while. Lilly sat up, looking at the woman in fear, "What's going on?"

The nurse gave her a sad smile, "Her heart is slowing down; it can't keep a normal rhythm anymore, the monitor sounds an alarm every time the heartbeat is not right. It happens more the closer it gets to the end."

She left them alone and Lilly closed her eyes, trying to force down the rising nausea and panic. Jackson laid his arm around his sister's shoulders and together they watched Miley fading away.

* * *

Robbie signed the papers before him with shaking hands. He still had a hard time wrapping his head around what was going on, but no way was he going to ask questions when his wife was shooting him these looks. He'd gotten to the courthouse barely in time, because of traffic, and Susan had merely dragged him inside, mumbling something about an adoption. Robbie figured she'd explain to him later.

He pushed the last of the papers over to the judge, who sat right across from them. The man signed as well and finally stacked all the papers in front of him. He handed Susan a second stack and smiled at the three of them.

"Congratulations. Luann, you and Miley are now officially Stewarts."

Luann blinked, glancing half-heartedly at the adoption papers in Susan's hands. It wasn't that she was unhappy about this, quite the opposite, but it just meant little if Miley couldn't enjoy it with her. Miley, who had hoped and made naively positive predictions about this day, would not live to know about it, while ever-cynical Luann had a new family.

"Thanks," she managed to get out, just itching to leave and go back to the hospital.

The judge shook all their hands and they stood, as if in a daze. Susan ushered Luann towards the door and the girl realized something with a start. She turned to face them, eyes wide. "You're my parents. And Miley's."

Susan even managed a weak chuckle, but it hadn't yet fully sunk in for her, either. The twins were now officially her daughters, something she'd known in her heart for so long. The thought brought fresh tears to her eyes. She still had no idea how it had happened and wondered for the hundredth time who had slipped those adoption papers into the files. And poor Robbie, he had no idea what was going on; she had practically roped him into adopting the girls and forced him to sign the paperwork. Not that he wouldn't have agreed, anyway. She knew he loved them.

"Yes, hun, we are. Now we can ground you all we want," Susan said and Luann rolled her eyes, before another thought popped into her head.

"But now can't you tell the doctors to fix Miley's heart? Maybe she'll get better!" Luann said, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes. Susan was loathe to shoot it down.

"I'm sorry, Luann, but…her heart is too weak for surgery. It's too late."

Luann bit her lower lip, tears shining in her eyes. Susan wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of the girl's head. The girl returned the hug and over her shoulder Susan noticed someone off to the side. She frowned at first, but then something clicked. She pulled away from Luann, "You and your dad go ahead, I'll be right out."

She watched them leave, before walking over to Loreen. They hadn't spoken since that day in the hospital and Susan had thought it better that way. She knew it was thanks to Loreen the ICU staff hadn't kicked her out, but that couldn't make up for sending the twins back to their mom in the first place. The woman gave her a nod.

"Susan, congratulations are in order, I hear."

Susan inclined her head slightly, staring at the woman. She didn't know what to think. "It was you, wasn't it? You put the adoption papers in their files."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Loreen shook her head.

Susan held out her hand and Loreen shook it, "Thanks, Loreen."

The woman smiled softly, "You're a good mother, Susan and those girls deserve a good mother."

Susan merely nodded and walked away. She met her husband and Luann at the car and together they returned to the hospital. Susan tried to steel herself for the next few hours, but how did one prepare themselves for the death of their child?

* * *

Luann's face was one of grim determination as she made her way back into the ICU and towards Miley's room. She almost entered, but stopped and turned around to walk towards the nurse's station. Susan and Robbie merely watched in confusion as the girl walked back over and went straight for the dry-erase plate outside the door that held the patient name. She furiously wiped away Miley's name and wrote something they could not see. When she was done, she returned the marker to the nurses and Susan swallowed the lump in her throat at what she saw.

"Miley Stewart," she read, voice cracking. Luann returned, holding one of the plastic wristbands in her hand. She pushed past Robbie and Susan to get into the room and looked at them as if they were missing something.

"Mom, Dad, go change your wristbands. Miley's name is wrong on them."

Susan looked at her husband and she knew neither of them would have denied Luann's request. They knew how much it would mean to Miley to be their daughter and they wanted to give her at least that in her last few hours of life.

Luann walked into the room, immediately noticing Lilly stretched out on the bed next to Miley. A small part of her still resented it, but that part no longer controlled her actions. She walked around to the other side of the bed and took her sister's wrist, gently as possible exchanging the wristbands. Luann noticed Lilly forcing Possie the Second to do horrible dance moves on Miley's chest, as if she could annoy her sister into the land of the living. Lilly stopped when she saw what Luann was doing.

"What are you doing?" the blonde asked, stopping her movements. Luann merely lifted Miley's wrist and it took Lilly a second to realize the name on the wristband. Her eyes widened. "You…Miley…what?"

Luann smirked weakly, "I totally get what Miley sees in you; you're so articulate. Now get off the bed."

Lilly was about to protest, when she saw the look in the brunette's eyes. Luann wasn't trying to be difficult; she was trying to say 'goodbye' to her sister. The blonde leaned forward and kissed Miley's forehead, before getting off the bed. She carefully tucked Possie the Second under Miley's arm and moved away, noticing her parents in the room for the first time. Jackson was taking a nap in the armchair and altogether there were five of them in the room, way over the rules. No one had said anything, yet.

Luann climbed up next to her sister, mimicking Lilly's earlier position. Miley was so still, but her heart was still beating, even if it now sounded so slow. She brushed some hair from her twin's forehead with a sigh. "Miles, I know you're tired and you think you can't hang on, but…you have to. Look, Miley, you're a Stewart now," Luann said softly, holding up her sister's wrist as if the unconscious girl could see it, "You can't just leave when Mom and Dad went through all that trouble to keep you. You begged for this day, Miley, can you really just let it slip through your hands like that?"

Susan once again had tears in her eyes, watching her daughters. She didn't even want to think about what was going to happen. How would they get through this? But there was no way to stop it now and all they could do was make sure Miley knew they loved her during her final hours. Lilly came up to her and she hugged the blonde tightly, while Robbie went to kick Jackson out of his chair. Susan moved over to the bed and sat on the foot end when Luann moved her legs out of the way. Lilly, clearly having the same idea, went to the other side and squeezed onto the end. With Robbie sitting in the chair by Lilly's side and Jackson perched on the armrest next to him, they practically had Miley surrounded, boxed in. There was no reason they couldn't be as close as possible to her at the end. She had to know they were there. No one spoke, until Luann continued her plea.

"I'll even admit I was wrong, Miley. You always said one day some nice family was going to adopt us…and you were right. And you have to get better so you can say it to my face."

Luann felt Susan's hand on her lower leg and though nothing could calm her emotional turmoil, at least she felt anchored. She knew someone cared. She swiped at her eyes, cursing the tears that just wouldn't stop. "And you have to pull through, so I can see the look on your face when you realize you're now dating your sister."

Lilly reached across Miley as if to punch Luann in the leg, but her effort was half-hearted. Their eyes met, both filled with tears. "If you leave, who is going to break up our fights? Who is going to let me copy their homework? Who is going to be the smart one in the family? And what if Lilly comes after me next? You know I'm not gay, Miley."

The blonde threw her another glare, but the corners of her mouth were almost turned up in a smile. Luann would never really change, but Lilly knew it was part of her and now, that the girl's words were no longer hostile, it truly was like they were sisters. Luann closed her eyes, exhaling heavily.

"Please, Miley…don't leave us. I know you can fight this…you figure out a way…please."

Her desperate pleas hung heavily in the air, as they all watched the girl in the bed. No one was ashamed to cry, not in front of family. And together, as a family, they waited for the end.


	31. To Everything a Season

This is it, the last chapter. There will be an epilogue, though. I still have no idea how this thing got so long. Thanks to everyone who's stuck around and read and reviewed throughout. And to **ncs4cncrn **thanks for your suggestions, I will definitely take them under advisement.

* * *

**Chapter 31 – To Everything A Season**

Day 8

Luann awoke with a start, disoriented and panicking. She did not know what time it was and it took her several moments to realize where she was. She pushed herself up, looking down at her unconscious sister. Her head whipped around to the monitors and she studied them with an uncanny intensity. Miley's heart was still beating, slowly, but steadily. Luann noticed the sunlight filtering in through the window and blinked. She could have sworn it was deep, dark night last time she'd been awake. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, had promised Miley she'd stay with her until the end, but somewhere near 4 am her eyes had drifted shut.

A nurse entered the room and Luann briefly wondered if she was in trouble for sleeping in Miley's bed. She recognized Helen as she came closer and the older woman made a motion with her hand to get Luann off the bed. "Alright, off the bed, you're not even supposed to be on there. I need to change her bandages."

Luann stood, confused. "Miley?"

Helen offered her a soft smile, "She's still hanging on; stubborn little thing. When's the last time your bandages were changed?"

Luann looked down at her arms, unseeing. She didn't understand what this meant. Was Miley going to live or was she just fading away even slower? She shook her head, "I don't know. Where is everybody?"

"Don't go anywhere; I'll change yours after I do your sister's. Your parents are talking to Dr. Carr and I believe your brother and sister went to go eat."

It felt weird, hearing someone referring to everyone like they were her family. Then Luann remembered that they were. She made a face, "Those jerks, didn't even ask me if I wanted to go."

Helen smiled with a shake of her head, finishing up with Miley. Luann sat and waited for her, but practically jumped up when Susan walked into the room. "What's going on with Miley? Is she going to…or is she better? Tell me!"

Susan put her hands on the girl's shoulder, stopping her bombardment of words. "Calm down, sweetie. I just spoke with the doctor and he said her test results this morning show a very tiny improvement."

"So she's gonna be okay?" Luann asked, wide-eyed.

"No, he did not say that. It's an improvement so small he normally wouldn't even consider it, but since she was so bad off yesterday, he says it's a good sign. She's still very sick, Luann."

Luann smiled, nevertheless, a heavy weight lifting off her. "She's gonna be okay, I just know it."

Susan couldn't help but return the smile, though she was less enthusiastic. The doctor had made it very clear Miley was not out of the woods and her levels where nowhere near high enough to consider her survival chances good. Nevertheless, it was way more than they'd had yesterday.

* * *

Day 10

Luann was bored, again. She'd never been the most patient of people and sitting here day in, day out, willing her sister to stay alive was taking its toll on her nerves. Not to mention, now that she felt deep inside Miley was going to be okay, she wished her sister would just hurry it up. No one else seemed to share her optimism as of yet, waiting tentatively for test results and examinations before letting some of the worry fade. But Luann just knew and she didn't care about the caution advocated by the doctors or how Susan and Robbie tried not to get their hopes up. It was her **twin**, for crying out loud. She **knew**.

Robbie and Susan were talking to the doctor, who likely was still telling them Miley wasn't out of the woods, despite her levels improving drastically over the past two days. Lilly was sitting in the armchair, reading a book for school, looking utterly bored. Luann was standing next to the bed, leaning over the railing, while she redid Possie the Second's bandages for the third time. She was really starting to get the hang of it, when an alarm sounded. A second soon followed and Lilly jumped up in panic, grabbing Luann's hand.

Luann's eyes immediately went to the heart monitor. Its alarm was blaring loudly as Miley's heart rate shot up. Then she noticed Miley's fingers curling and grabbed her sister's hand. Her own heart was hammering. "Miley, I'm here…Miles."

Several people rushed into the room, pushing Luann and Lilly aside. Luann refused to let go, however, clutching her sister's hand as the nurses and doctors surrounded her. She felt Miley grip her fingers weakly and it brought new tears to her eyes.

"She's fighting the vent. Get me 2 mg Lorazepam…let's get her back under," Dr. Carr said, turning off the alarms on the monitors. Some of the nurses moved from the side of the bed and Luann, ignoring the rules, squeezed her way back in to look at her sister. Though her eyes were closed, Luann could easily read the agitation on her face. She squeezed Miley's hand.

"Miley, you're okay…the tube in your throat is helping you breathe, don't fight it." The doctor's voice was calm and steady and Luann didn't know how he was not panicking. A nurse put the requested medication in Miley's IV, while Dr. Carr checked the readout on the machines.

Luann merely watched her sister, trying to get even closer. Miley blinked her eyes open wearily, but as if her eyelids were too heavy they closed again right away. Her fingers squeezed around Luann's, more forceful this time. She forced her eyes open again, but they would not stay.

"Miley, Miley, I know you can do it, stay with me," Luann begged, willing her sister awake. After a few minutes Miley went still again and Luann pulled back, almost angry. Dr. Carr was scribbling in the chart and Luann turned to him.

"Why did you put her back to sleep? She was waking up!"

Dr. Carr turned to look at the two teenagers, their faces pale. He put the chart away. "She's not strong enough, yet, to breathe on her own and she was fighting the ventilator. Most people can't tolerate having the machine breathe for them and they fight it; it makes the ventilator very inefficient. We want her to get the full benefit until she can breathe on her own. And you saw how she was panicking and her heart rate went up; we're just trying to keep her calm until she's stronger, okay?"

Luann nodded grudgingly and lowered her head. It was the most movement they'd had out of Miley in over a week and she just wanted her sister awake and better. The doctor squeezed her shoulder before leaving the room and Luann turned to Lilly. The blonde looked shaken, too and Luann sighed.

"I'm gonna go call mom," the blonde said softly, her heart just now slowing down. She'd thought Miley was going to die for sure that time.

Luann nodded absentmindedly and stood by her sister's bedside once again. She sighed heavily and picked up Possie the Second, continuing with his mummification just to have something to do.

* * *

Day 12

"You don't know what you're doing."

"Me? You just divided by zero!"

The brunette looked down at her notebook and began erasing some numbers with a grim look on her face. "Whatever."

"That's what you get for letting your sister do all your homework for you," Lilly said snidely, eyes on her own notebook.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm not **dating** my sister."

Lilly lightly shoved the brunette and Luann reciprocated. Susan sighed from her position in the chair by Miley's bed, where she was trying to read a book. The doctors had been more optimistic about Miley's condition over the past few days, though they were still cautious. They still kept her under a light sedation and other than two days ago, there had been no movement from the girl.

"She's not my sister!"

"I know we live in Tennessee and all, but come on…"

They began shoving each other again and Susan groaned. She'd preferred them cooperative and subdued, like before Miley had gotten better. She turned to them, "Both of you – Get out!"

The two girls looked at each other and shrugged, getting up. They'd prefer almost anything to doing homework. Neither of them had been to school those first ten days; Miley had been too critical to risk missing time with her, but Susan had forced them to go back Monday. They both hated it. Luann stopped at the end of her sister's bed, "Miles, if you don't wake up soon, you'll be so far behind in school **I'll** be the smart one!"

Susan rolled her eyes and smacked the girl's side as she left the room. Luann had been making the worst digs at her sister over the past two days, trying to force her into waking up. Susan watched the two go, before picking her book back up. Only seconds later the alarms began sounding. Susan jumped up, panicked. She hadn't been there last time and didn't know what to expect. But she immediately noticed Miley's hand, moving as if reaching for something and she took it.

People burst into the room and Dr. Carr came to look at the monitors. He didn't push Susan aside and it made her worry. A nurse silenced the alarms. Miley's hand squeezed hers, so weakly she wouldn't have felt it if she hadn't been looking for it. Dr. Carr put on gloves as he stepped up to the bed.

"Miley, come on, open your eyes…don't fight the tube…" he coached gently and Susan still wasn't sure what was going on. He'd told her earlier they were decreasing the sedation, but they hadn't expected Miley to wake up, yet. She hoped everything was okay. Then Miley moved, as if trying to get away from something, and though the movement was minimal, Susan's heart started beating even harder.

"Open your eyes, look at me, Miley…I know you can do it," Dr. Carr said, his voice stern, but comforting.

Miley's eyes opened barely and it seemed as if she were struggling just to keep them open that tiny bit, but Susan gasped nevertheless. Dr. Carr seemed pleased, however, and unhooked a tube running to the one going down Miley's throat. "Breathe, Miley, come on, take a deep breath."

The girl struggled, but managed to draw air into her lungs, despite the tube still down her throat. She reached for it with a shaky hand, but a nurse stopped her. The hand in Susan's squeezed harder. Dr. Carr reached for the tube, "I'm going to take the tube out, okay? But you have to help me…you have to cough as I pull it out, alright?"

Miley made no indication that she'd heard him, but he began pulling on the tube nevertheless. Miley coughed, more and more, until the doctor had finally removed the entire tube. The girl's eyes were squeezed shut and she still coughed lightly, while a nurse slipped an oxygen mask over her face. Susan was too shocked to even respond, though she clutched Miley's hand so tightly she was surprised the girl hadn't complained. Miley turned her head to the side slightly, though her eyes stayed closed. Dr. Carr was watching the monitors intently, though after a few minutes he turned to Susan with a smile.

"Her vitals are stable and her oxygen levels are good. We'll leave the mask on for now; her lungs are still not at a 100%, but I'd say it's looking very good right now. She's still going to be a bit out of it while the sedation wears off." He smiled at Susan again, before leaving the room.

She suddenly found herself alone in the room with Miley, who for the first time in over a week, was breathing on her own. It had all happened so fast and so unexpectedly, Susan found herself in shock. Just a few days ago Miley was supposed to die and here she was, breathing. Susan noticed her hands were trembling and she sat in the chair shakily, still holding Miley's hand.

"Mom…"

Susan nearly jumped hearing Miley's voice for the first time, no matter how weak and rough it sounded. She stood back up. Miley's eyes were still closed. Susan brushed her free hand across the girl's hair. "I'm here, Miley."

The girl blinked her eyes open slightly, though the woman could tell how much effort it took for her to keep them open. She leaned down and couldn't help but smile. Miley was awake. "Mom, I…have to…go back…"

"Go back where?" she asked softly, still stroking Miley's hair. The girl's eyes closed again.

"School."

Susan bit her lip to stifle the sob wanting to escape. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but tears nevertheless filled her eyes. She leaned over and kissed Miley's forehead. There were no words to describe what she was feeling – Miley was alive and she was her daughter. Tears spilled from her eyes and hastily wiped them away.

"Mom…I…had a dream," Miley said, voice mumbled through the mask, her eyes once again half open.

Susan didn't want her overdoing it; she still sounded so weak, but it was amazing just to hear the girl's voice. "Why don't you tell me all about it later? Just get some rest, Miley."

"No…" Miley sounded almost forceful, "I…we…had to go back…to our mother…again…"

Susan clenched her jaw at the fear in the girl's voice. She cupped Miley's cheek and waited until those blue eyes met hers. She could easily tell Miley was still very out of it, but she had to assuage the girl's fears. "Sweet pea, you are **never** going back there. You are our daughters now and we are not letting you go, ever. Not until you're forty, at least."

She had no idea whether Miley even understood what she was saying, but the girl smiled, her eyes closing again. Miley's breathing seemed to even out and Susan realized the girl was asleep. She sat back in the chair and took a deep breath. Her heart was still thundering and she realized for the first time how her head was spinning. She decided to take a few minutes to let it all sink in, before calling everyone else. She knew Luann especially would be mad she'd kicked her out a minute before Miley woke up. Susan hoped Luann and Lilly were not tearing down the hospital somewhere. With a sigh she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

* * *

"What happened?"

Susan jerked awake and realized with dismay she'd fallen asleep in the chair. She tried to stretch out her aching neck and glanced at her two daughters standing in the doorway. Luann's face was pale and Susan's eyes followed the girl's to Miley's bed. Susan had fallen asleep before she'd ever gotten a chance to call them back and tell them about Miley. A quick glance at the clock told her several hours had passed.

Luann was already next to the bed, worried eyes flitting across her sister's body. Lilly was right behind her. "Why'd they take the tube out? What's wrong with her?"

Susan put a calming hand on the girl's shoulder, "Honey, Miley is fine. She is breathing on her own. We're just waiting for the sedation to fully wear off."

She didn't see a need to tell them Miley had talked to her a bit; it would only make them upset. Luann seemed to relax after her initial panic and turned to Lilly with a grin, "See, Blondie, I told you so."

Lilly rolled her eyes, but moved forward to hug the brunette, nonetheless. She wanted to cry from relief; despite Luann's continued insistence Miley was going to be fine, she hadn't allowed herself to believe it just yet. Luann squeezed the blonde tightly, lifting the shorter girl off her feet briefly. Lilly couldn't remember ever seeing Luann this exuberant and happy.

"Lu…get your own…girlfriend."

Both their heads snapped around to stare at the brunette in the bed. Miley's head was turned to them and her eyes were mostly open, though she looked incredibly exhausted. Both Luann and Lilly were too shocked to register what was happening for a moment, before Luann practically jumped on her sister's bed. She knelt awkwardly on the edge of the bed and wrapped one arm gently around her sister, before she leaned down and pressed her cheek against Miley's.

"Miles…you're alive…I knew you could do it…I love you, baby sis." Her words were an almost incoherent jumble and she was crying. She drew a deep breath and pulled back slightly, "Don't you **ever** do that again!"

Miley smiled softly, reaching out a hand to grasp her sister's. She could remember Luann's voice, willing her to stay alive. "You saved me."

Luann looked at her somberly, eyes still shining with tears, "You saved me, first."

The older brunette leaned down to kiss her sister's forehead, when she felt a nudge in her back. Annoyed, she turned to see Lilly, fidgeting. She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Blondie wants to say 'hello'." She nevertheless got off the bed, only making a face at Lilly as she moved aside for her. "No kissing, you hear me? I don't wanna see any incest."

Lilly rolled her eyes and a lot more tentatively than Luann, sat on the edge of the bed. Miley smiled at her and Lilly's heart did a flip. Tears filled her eyes. Even though she knew she probably shouldn't, she reached over to pull the oxygen mask aside and place a soft, loving kiss on Miley's lips. She reached out a hand to brush some stray hair behind the girl's ear and leaned her forehead against her girlfriend's. Their eyes were locked intensely and Lilly remembered how much she had missed seeing them.

"I love you, Miley. You have no idea how much," she said softly, not caring about everyone else in the room.

Miley smiled again, one of her hands grabbing onto the fabric of Lilly's sweater, "You did just…kiss me after…I haven't brushed…in weeks."

Lilly laughed, but couldn't help the tears spilling from her eyes. She pulled back, wiping them away hastily. The brunette suddenly gave her a confused look. "What was Luann…talking about…incest?"

Lilly shrugged, "She's been making fun of me, and you, for dating, now that we're 'sisters'."

Miley furrowed her brow, "What are you…talking about?"

Now it was Lilly's turn to look confused and she turned to her mother and Luann by her side. Her father walked into the room, looking out of breath as if he'd hurried here, followed by Jackson. When Robbie Ray saw Miley awake, he practically beamed and walked over to the bed, kissing the top of her head, "Hey there, bud; boy, are we glad to see you awake."

Miley smiled at him and turned back to Susan and Luann on the other side of the bed. There was something they weren't telling her. She wondered briefly if something was horribly wrong with her, but Luann looked way too cheerful for that. "What's going on?"

No one seemed to be willing to speak, though they were all looking at Luann as if she were the official spokesperson of bad news. Her sister sighed and walked closer to the bed again. Miley noticed her serious face, but could see how hard Luann was trying to contain her excitement. Luann took her sister's hand and looked at her intently.

"Miley, do you remember all those times you told me one day some nice family was going to adopt us and we'd live happily ever after?" The younger girl nodded, wondering why Luann was bringing up her over-optimistic childhood dreams.

Luann sighed dramatically, "Well, you were right."

"What?"

Luann frowned, wondering why "super-smart" Miley was being so dense. She noticed Susan digging for something in her purse. The woman finally stepped up to the bed and held out a piece of paper for Miley to take. Luann recognized it as a copy of their adoption certificate. Miley took it with shaking hands, staring at it blankly for several moments, before looking up, face terrified.

"I'm still…unconscious, aren't I?" Everyone looked at each other, not sure how to take her comment. "I have to be…there's no way…something this **good** would ever…happen to us."

Luann made a face, "If you were unconscious, could I do this?" She moved a step back and nudged Lilly off the bed. The blonde crashed to the ground, cursing. She shot up, ready to retaliate, but Luann merely gave her a look of innocence that said she'd done it for a greater purpose.

Miley frowned, "You probably…could." She looked at Susan by her side, face unsure, "Mom…"

Susan smiled and wrapped the girl in a one-armed hug, while Miley threw her arms around the woman's waist. "Oh, sweet pea, it's real. You and Luann are our daughters and nothing is ever going to change that. Once you get out of here, you are coming back home with us, where you belong. We are truly a family now."

Susan rubbed the girl's back while she cried tears of relief. Luann let Lilly by her to sit back next to her girlfriend and after a few moments, Miley pulled away from Susan to hug the blonde, instead. Lilly sighed happily at the feel of her girlfriend in her arms.

Luann snorted, "A truly incestual family."

Miley pulled away, wiping her eyes and threw a look at her sister, who merely grinned. She looked around the room, at her family. Everything she had ever wanted and dreamed of, it was right here in this room. Miley couldn't remember a time she had ever been happier and for once in her life she was not afraid of what the future would bring. With a content sigh, she lay back against the propped up head-end of the bed. She was still so exhausted, but Miley knew it was okay to go to sleep now. Everything truly was going to be okay.

Something poked her in the back and she pulled it out, staring in confusion at the soft object, "When did…Possie become a…mummy?"

Everyone but Luann seemed to laugh, as if that one innocent question had dispelled all the worry, fear and despair of the past weeks and replaced it with an overwhelming happiness. Miley clutched the mummified Possie in her arm and closed her eyes, a content smile on her lips.


	32. Epilogue

So this is the end. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story throughout and all of you who have reviewed faithfully. I hope you enjoyed the ride ;)

* * *

**Epilogue**

Six Years Later

"Mom, Dad, I'm here!" Luann yelled as she entered the house and immediately went for the kitchen. When Susan entered just a few short moments later, Luann was already looking through the kitchen cabinets.

Susan sighed, hands on her hips and Luann turned with a caught-in-the-headlights look, a piece of string cheese already in her mouth. "I swear, Luann, you have the manners of a barbarian. We are about to have dinner and here you go spoiling it."

Luann grinned and shrugged, "Pre-dinner snack."

She walked over and hugged her mom, who looked her up and down after she pulled away, "I thought I said 'no uniform at the dinner table'. And I noticed you didn't drive your car, either."

"Oh honey, let it be…the patrol car keeps the neighbors on their toes," Robbie Ray said, entering the kitchen and hugging his daughter.

"No Robbie, it makes them think we're in trouble with the law," Susan said, giving him a reproachful look.

Luann gave her mom a sheepish look, "I'm sorry, mom; I had a call right before shift ended and I didn't want to be late. I'll go shower and change. Are Miley and Lilly home, yet?"

Susan sighed, looking at the clock, "No, Miley's last class ends at five. It normally takes them some time to get home with traffic. Oh, Jackson and Sarah are here already; he's out showing her the barn."

"The new girlfriend? Should I go out there and pretend I'm here to arrest him?" Luann asked, eyes shining at the thought of potential mischief she could cause.

"I think you should go shower and change. Dinner is in an hour," Susan said, ushering her out of the kitchen. If she had thought at some point that growing older and becoming a police officer would cure Luann of her need to mess with people, she'd certainly been wrong. She still marveled at the fact that someone had even let Luann become a cop in the first place, considering how hostile and aggressive she had always been. But Susan knew, Luann was a good kid, a great kid really, considering the multiple times she'd stood up for her family members, had saved her sister's life and thus all of them from broken hearts.

She heard the front door open and turned to see her other two daughters entering the house. As soon as Lilly saw her, she waved her hands as if to stop her from asking, but it was already too late. "Hey girls, how was school?"

Lilly hung her head in defeat, hanging up both their coats. Miley sighed heavily as she entered the kitchen, a depressed look on her face, "My professor is trying to fail me!"

Susan raised an eyebrow at the mere thought of Miley failing anything, when Lilly followed her into the kitchen. The look on her face said she'd already heard the story a thousand times on the drive back. "Yeah, he gave her an 89. That bastard."

Miley glared at Lilly, "I can't afford to let my GPA drop if I want to go to med school, Lils."

"Miley, you've already been accepted! I just don't want you to get so worked up over this," Lilly sighed, wishing her girlfriend were less driven at times. Compared to Miley, other people would surely feel insecure about their own intelligence, but with Lilly, and the rest of the family, that had never been an issue. They had all accepted a long time ago that Miley was the smart one and destined for great things. The rest of them just found their niche – Luann, who had skipped college altogether, as a cop, Lilly, who was attending Tennessee State University, was planning to be a teacher and Jackson, well, they were still waiting for him to find his.

"Alright, Miley, why don't you help me with dinner. Lilly, can you please get Jackson and Sarah from the barn?" Susan said, trying to defuse the situation. It wasn't that she didn't agree with Lilly to some degree, Miley had a tendency to overwork herself, but bringing it up only made the girl more agitated. Perhaps she could get Luann to say something to Miley; the twins always seemed to have a calming effect on each other and were thus much more likely to get through.

Lilly sighed as if she felt put out, but secretly she was glad to get away – there was something she needed to do. She stood and grabbed Miley from behind, planting a kiss on her cheek. Miley melted into her embrace, all the annoyance forgotten for now, and turned to give Lilly a proper kiss on the lips. Lilly left the kitchen and went up the stairs to their room.

The twins had shared a room for several years, until after their High School graduation and Luann's entrance into the Police Academy several months later. When Miley had gotten a full ride to Vanderbilt, she had decided to still live at home, despite the drive into the city. She had waited so long to have a home and a family, she was not going to give it up for anything. Lilly would much rather have lived in the dorms at Tennessee State than drive forty minutes twice a day, but, partially because she hadn't gotten a full scholarship, and mostly because of Miley, she still lived at home, as well.

They'd still lived in separate rooms at home, officially anyway, until last year when they'd convinced their parents to just let them room together. It was a much more convenient, happier arrangement for both of them, though Lilly still occasionally felt weird about living in her parents' house, in a room with her girlfriend, who was also technically, her sister.

She noticed the shower running and suddenly she felt nervous. Lilly dug in the back of her dresser drawer beneath some old shorts for a pair of rolled up socks. She pulled out a box and stuffed it in her pocket, before making her way over to the twins' old room. It had mostly been converted into an office/study area for them, but it had a pull out sofa that Luann normally slept on when she stayed over. Lilly sat on the sofa, bouncing slightly as she became more and more nervous. Finally the water turned off and she froze. The bathroom door opened and Luann stepped into the room, wrapped in only a towel. She glared when she saw Lilly.

"Is there a reason you're in here? Trying to steal a peek? I know we're technically identical, but I can assure you, Miley won't see it that way," Luann said, picking up her clean clothes from the desk chair.

"I need your help with something." Lilly's voice was shaky and her eyes flitted across the room. When they scanned across Luann's bare arms, nausea rose in her. She had seen the burn scars marring the brunette's forearms multiple times before and it was not their sight in itself that caused her reaction. Every time she saw the scars Luann carried from that night, Lilly was reminded how close she had come to losing Miley. Luann's scars signified her sacrifice to save her sister and she'd never tried to hide them away. Lilly didn't think she should.

Luann took a deep breath, "Can't it wait?"

Lilly shook her head, biting her lip. She was too nervous to speak, feeling like she might vomit if she opened her mouth. Luann groaned, "Can you at least turn around or something? I don't want you getting any ideas."

It took Luann waving her hand in Lilly's face for her to avert her eyes. She wasn't really interested in seeing Luann, anyway, not when she had her beautiful Miley. The thought of her girlfriend brought a small smile to her lips and the knot of tension in her chest lifted somewhat. After a few minutes, Lilly noticed Luann was dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and looked up just as the girl was pulling a Police Softball League sweatshirt over her head. She grimaced.

"Mom is **so** not going to like your choice of clothing for dinner."

"So? It's **my** adoption day, I can do what I like," Luann said matter-of-factly, towel-drying her hair, before sitting in the desk chair across from Lilly.

Lilly shrugged; she didn't really care about that. Their parents had always made it a habit to celebrate not only their children's birthdays, but also the days of their adoption – as a sort of symbol of a second birth and, in Miley's case, a second chance at life. The celebrations used to be much bigger affairs, but now that they were older it had evolved mostly into a dinner with the family and perhaps some board games. She figured, if it wasn't for Miley's enthusiasm for the adoption day celebrations, everyone else would have gotten a lot more lax about them.

"So, what did you want, Blondie?"

The knot in her stomach tightened again and Lilly swallowed hard, before reaching into her pocket. She drew out the little black box with shaking hands. Luann raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I…uh." Lilly licked her suddenly dry lips and opened the box, showing off a sparkling solitaire diamond ring.

"You know you're proposing to the wrong sister, right?" Luann said, though her voice held no hint of humor. Her eyes were dark.

Lilly shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and force the panic away, "I'm not…look, I just…I wanted you to try it on…to see if it fits Miley."

Luann stared at the ring for several moments, before looking up to meet Lilly's eyes. Her expression was unreadable. "You're going to propose to my sister?"

Lilly nodded weakly, worried. Luann meant everything to her sister and if she wasn't okay with this…Lilly didn't even want to think about the possibilities. "I'm not asking for your permission, Luann. But your opinion is important to Miley and I wanted to let you know beforehand."

The expression on Luann's face didn't change. "You're afraid I'll ruin this…that I'll react so badly Miley won't know what to do."

Lilly didn't answer and for a while they just sat there in silence. Luann's eyes were focused on the ring and after several minutes she reached for it. "Alright, let me see it."

Some of the tension left Lilly's body and she carefully handed the ring to the brunette. Luann studied it closely, before slipping it onto her left ring finger. Almost immediately she took it off and handed it back. Lilly stowed it in its box and back in her pocket. "It should fit her just fine. It's a nice ring."

"Thanks, Luann. Are you okay with this?" Lilly asked tentatively.

Luann shrugged, "We both love Miley, a whole damn lot. And she loves both of us. I swore that day she almost died I would never compromise her happiness again, as long as she lived. It's going to take some getting used to, but yeah…I'm okay with it."

Lilly smiled and moved forward to hug the other girl. They broke apart quickly; they'd never been horribly affectionate with one another. Lilly stood, ready to get out of there and Luann followed suit. She stopped short of opening the door and turned, "When are you going to do it?"

"I…I was planning on graduation," Lilly said, thinking of Miley's graduation from Vanderbilt less than two months away. Her graduation from Tennessee State was the week before, but she was less enthusiastic about it. She was glad to graduate, but Miley was the one who had worked incredibly hard for the past four years to get her degree so she could go on to medical school.

Luann nodded and said nothing else. She went to go down the stairs and Lilly followed, once she'd stowed the ring back in its hiding place. They entered the kitchen and saw everyone already sitting around the table in the dining room. Susan was setting the last dish on the table and looked up as they came in.

"Lilly, did you get lost?" she asked her oldest daughter, who gave her a confused look. "You were supposed to get Jackson and Sarah?"

Lilly smiled sheepishly and shrugged. She introduced herself to Jackson's new girlfriend and Luann followed suit. Luann then went to greet her twin and it seemed to Lilly their hug lasted a few seconds longer than normal. Maybe she was just reading too much into it, but she knew Luann had always been afraid of losing Miley to her. She just hoped the girl knew that was never going to happen.

They started dinner quietly, but soon enough multiple conversations were going. Sarah, the only one not a Stewart at the table, seemed somewhat shy at first, but with everyone engaging her, she was soon asking questions herself. She'd heard plenty about the three girls from Jackson and though he always seemed to complain about his sisters, it was clear he loved them dearly.

"So, Miley, Jackson tells me you're going to medical school in the fall. Do you know which one, yet?"

"Vanderbilt. I can still live at home and well, I guess I'm partial to the place that saved my life…twice," she said, smiling.

"Please, she's being modest. I think some of her professors practically begged her to continue at Vandy and I think the nice scholarship helps," Luann said with a shake of her head. Though she had to admit, she too was partial to the place that saved her sister's life more than once. In a way, she still attributed the first time to Miley's strength of will and her own charm keeping her sister alive. The second time, however, they had fixed Miley's heart and finally allowed her to live without constant pain, worry and restrictions.

With the Stewarts as her parents, there had been no delay in getting Miley the surgery she desperately needed. They had waited until summer break, much to Miley's relief, and the skilled cardiac surgeons at Vanderbilt had replaced the damaged heart valve with a mechanical one. Miley still had to take a blood thinner to prevent clots and would need the artificial valve replaced every twenty years or so, but she was no longer constantly sick and struggling to breathe. The change in her quality of life had been amazing.

"I think we've really got a good set-up here," Robbie Ray said, looking across the table at his children, "A cop, a teacher and a soon-to-be doctor…we've got it almost all covered. Jackson, we just need you to become a lawyer and we're all set."

Everyone decided to ignore him and Susan turned to Luann, "Honey, I thought you said Oliver was coming?"

"Oh, he switched shifts, so he had to work. He promised to be here next time, though."

Luann was amazed herself she had stuck it out so long with the same guy, but Oliver was pretty spectacular. He was the one who had first gotten her interested in joining the force and, through some connections from his mother no doubt, had gotten them both Academy spots. They'd been living together in the city for nearly four years, though she had made it very clear to him he better not think of proposing any time soon. She didn't exactly think of herself as damaged, but Luann knew she was not the wife and mother type. She liked living with Oliver and she saw no reason to change what they had. Miley was the one who would want that white picket fence and the 2.3 kids and the dog and with a shock Luann realized her sister was on her way to getting it. She thought about how happy Miley would be when Lilly proposed and smiled.

Miley noticed the smile on her sister's face, wondering if she was thinking about Oliver. She grabbed Lilly's hand under the table, just wanting to feel her girlfriend. Six years later and she still often had to remind herself this was real. A real family, a loving girlfriend, more schoolwork than she knew what to do with sometimes – all her dreams realized. She knew in a way, ironically, they owed it all to their mother, the woman who had given birth to them and after that hadn't shown an act of love for sixteen years – until the one that gave them away. Miley had, despite Lilly's urging and without Luann's knowledge, gone to see the woman a few years ago. She didn't know what she had expected, but she had been shocked to see Brenda so run down and miserable. The woman had been high and drunk and hardly coherent, but she'd recognized Miley and some conscious part of her had seemed content Miley seemed to be doing so well. She had told no one about the visit and didn't think she ever would. She had all she needed right here. There was no reason to bring up the past anymore.

"Hey, where's our Adoption Day cake?" Luann asked, after everyone sat heavily in their chairs, fully stuffed.

"Oh good, you can get it from the fridge. Thanks for volunteering, hun," Susan said sweetly and Luann got up with a groan to get the cake. There was no keeping Luann from her cake, birthday or adoption day.

Lilly watched her girlfriend in reverence as Luann returned with the cake and, as she did every year, gave the first piece of cake to her sister. Luann would do anything for her sister, Lilly knew, and it had and would always be that way. Only now, Miley had two people to whom she meant the world. Lilly couldn't wait to show her the ring, to see the look on her girlfriend's face. She could already imagine her mother's face when they told her and the massive wedding plans it would set into motion. Lilly realized with a smile that even when they finally moved out, they'd probably end up in a house just down the road, and it was fine by her. Miley loved this family beyond anything and no one would begrudge her that.

And Lilly knew without this family, none of them would be half of what they were today. As individuals their love and devotion, their accomplishments and sacrifices, meant little compared to the whole. As a family they'd pulled Miley from the brink of death. They'd fought until their family was whole. And as she looked around the dinner table, the smiling faces of her parents, her siblings and her girlfriend, Lilly knew that they were – whole.


End file.
